504 Veterinary Medicine. 



More characteristic are icterus, abdominal distension from ascites, 

 or congestion of the Hver, yellow or high colored urine, intestinal 

 catarrh, indigestion, and tenderness in the region of the liver. 

 The mucosae are usually pale at first and not always icteric later. 

 On exertion the horse shows early fatigue, tumultuous heart 

 beats and oppressed breathing. 



The Schweinsberg disease often lasts for months, with alter- 

 nate improvements and exacerbations, but almost invariably ends 

 in death, and sometimes completely depopulates a .stable. 



Lesions. These consist primarily in the great increase of the 

 connective tissue and the relative decrease of the hepatic tissue. 

 This is usually mostly around the divisions of the portal vein 

 and the periphery of the acini, but also in the end around 

 the hepatic veins as well. When it has formed arotnid the bili- 

 ary canals there is a great increase of the liver (often doubled) 

 and its edges have become rounded. Within the acini the increase 

 of the fibrous stroma is seen between the radiating capillaries, and 

 the hepatic cells are contracted, granular, pigmented, and com- 

 paratively destitute of protoplasm around the still persistent nu- 

 cleus. 



Treatment. Glauber salts to clear the bowels of offensive mat- 

 ter, and deplete from liver and portal vein, bicarbonate of soda or 

 iodide of potassium to eliminate the poisons through the kidneys 

 and to lessen the induration, and finally salicylate of soda as a 

 liver stimulant and intestinal antiseptic are suggestive of the line 

 of treatment that may be pursued. The .saline laxatives and diu- 

 retics, and antiseptics ma}^ be changed for others according to 

 special indications, and bitters and mineral acids may be resorted 

 to. Counterirritants to the right hypochondrium should not be 

 neglected in case of local tenderness. In the otherwise fatal 

 Schweinsberg disease, Imminger, Kiinke and Stenert had a 

 remarkable success from the free use of potassium iodide, which 

 suggests a cryptogamic origin, as this agent is so valuable in 

 polyuria which results from musty fodder. In all cases, gentle 

 exercise in the open air and a moderate ration of laxative food 

 (green) are of great value. Above all the old suspected diet 

 should be carefully avoided, also any impure water supply. 



