THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM 55 



material, the duct in some instances being more than 

 one inch in diameter; the cystic duct and gall bladder 

 were found to contain varying quantities of the same 

 material. In one case the gall bladder was so engorged 

 with sand that it had dilated until it was fully as large 

 as a quart measure. The foreign substance, either 

 cinders or sand, may also be found in the ducts that 

 convey the bile to the gall bladder. In some instances 

 the biliary capillaries contained considerable quantities 

 of sand. The accumulations obstructing the outflow of 

 bile result in icterus of varying intensity. There is 

 also a catarrhal inflammation of the adjacent intestinal 

 mucosa and the mucous membrane of the bile tubules, 

 gall-bladder, and hepatic duct. 



Rupture 



Rupture or laceration of the liver does occur, although 

 it is not so common in swine as in most other animals 

 because the abdominal wall of swine is comparatively 

 thick, due to the deposition of subcutaneous fat. 



Etiology. The usual cause of hepatic rupture is 

 mechanical interference in the form of a sudden blow, 

 such as the kick of a mule or the penetration of the 

 liver with some sharp object which may lacerate the 

 hepatic tissue. 



Lesions. If the hepatic lesion has caused sudden 

 death the peritoneal cavity will contain a large quantity 

 of blood which may or may not be coagulated, depending 

 upon the length of time after death that the autopsy 

 is conducted. If the injury is an old lesion, cicatricial 

 tissue will have sealed the wound and perhaps, by con- 

 traction, distorted the liver. 



Symptoms . The symptoms evidenced will be shock, 

 weakness, and blanched visible mucous membranes due 

 to loss of blood from the blood vascular system. Should 

 the animal survive the immediate affect of the injury 

 and the loss of blood, there may be symptoms only of 

 impaired hepatic function, or there may be no visible 

 symptoms. 



