DISEASES OF THE SOLID ORGANS OF THE ABDOMEN < 95 



urally protuberant, the nostrils dilated, the flanks agitated, the respiration 

 accelerated, and the mucous membrane pale." The same author mentions 

 a discharge of a yellow, frothy mucus by vomiting. By this it might be 

 implied that in those cases an abscess had formed in the spleen and the 

 pus was expelled by vomiting. 



The disease will rarely ever be diagnosed during life, and were it, the 

 general principles of treatment would be much the same as in acute in- 

 flammations of other organs similar in structure. 



In certain diseases of the general system, and in some affections of other 

 organs the spleen becomes enlarged for a time and then returns to its 

 normal size. 



Chronic enlargement of this gland, unless it be greatly increased in size, 

 is rarely attended with any symptoms to indicate the condition. Were it 

 to be discovered and clearly diagnosed the treatment would be symptom- 

 atic, and the same as in chronic hepatitis. 



The spleen takes on degenerative changes in common with the liver, 

 but a consideration of them can be of no possible interest or profit to the 

 general reader. 



Diseases of the (Pajvc&Eas. 



While the fact is recognized that the pancreas may be the seat of inflam- 

 mation as in the other glandular organs, the liver, kidneys, etc., it is also 

 apparent a correct diagnosis of morbid changes must be so difficult it 

 would be useless to discuss them at any length in this work. Of all organs 

 similarly constructed probably the pancreas is the least liable to inflam- 

 mations. Doubtless they take on much the same degenerative changes 

 observed elsewhere, and are secondarily involved by the extension of dis- 

 eases in adjacent parts. t 



A discharge of fat from the bowels is supposed to be a diagnostic symp- 

 tom of pancreatic disorder, but there is no reliable evidence to sustain 

 this opinion, based as it is solely on the known physiological action of 

 the pancreatic juice. That it is the active agent in the digestion of oily 

 substances has been fully demonstrated by M. Bernard and others. The 

 peculiar effect of the juice when brought in contact with oily matters, is 

 to separate them into minute globules ; the mixture being converted into 

 a white, creamy-looking fluid. No chemical change occurs ; the oil in this 

 process may be said to have been digested and made ready for absorp- 

 tion. The appearance of fat unchanged in the discharges leads to the 

 belief that disease of the pancreas exists. 



