Anatomical Chatijies. Syinptoiiis. 511 



brownish-yellow in color and smooth, and when dried, ron^h 

 and laminated (Kitt). In other cases they are white and com- 

 posed of chalk-like masses containing minute particles of food. 

 Gurlt found such a stone weighino- 5 pounds. 



True gallstones are usually found in larger numbers in the 

 principal bile ducts, or more frequently in the gall bladder. 

 They are either rounded with mull)erry-lik8 rough surfaces or 

 polyhedra with smooth facets, yellowish-lu'own, greenish, gray 

 or reddish-brown in color. The majority are not very hard and 

 have a specific gravity slightly higher than that of water (1.23). 

 Their cut surfaces shows laminse of different colors enclosing 

 a more or less soft center. The inner layers are composed 

 principally of cholesterin, and the outer of bile pigments and 

 calcium salts. Gallstones obtained from cattle are generally 

 lighter and contain a greater pi'oportion of organic matter. In 

 the process of drying they may shrink to half their original 

 size. 



Small stores varying in size from a linseed to a pea are sometimes found in 

 very large numbers. Birnbaum found 400 in the bile ducts of a horse, Eigot 90, 

 Av^rous more than a thousand, Lewin 500 to 600. Single stones, on the other hand, 

 sometimes attain the size of an apple (Verheyen). In Averous ' case there was, in 

 addition to the numerous small stones, a large one measuring 11% cm. long and 

 weighing 258 gr. in the terminal portion of the principal duct. Messner found a 

 stone weighing 542 gr. in an ox. 



The chemical composition of the stones varies from case to case, and especially 

 with regard to the quantity of cholesterin. In gallstones obtained from horses 

 Fiirstenberg found lime, mucus, fat and bile pigments. In cattle the stones contain 

 a comparatively large proportion of carbonate and phosphate of lime and mag- 

 nesium. Bourgoin found a stone weighing 3.S0 gr. in the bile duct of a horse. In 

 this case the stone was composed entirely of cholesterin. 



Impaction of gallstones in the common bile duct leads to 

 the production of an inflammatory, hyperplastic cirrhosis of the 

 liver. Occasionally al)scess formation results. In other cases 

 there is dilatation of the bile duct associated with atrophy of 

 the surrounding liver tissue. In cattle the common bile duct 

 sometimes attains a diameter equal to that of the large intes- 

 tine. In such cases peritonitis due to the rupture of the dilated 

 ducts may be the immediate cause of death (Cagny, Chais- 

 saing). 



According to Lewin gallstones are sometimes found in the 

 intestine, these having been passed out of the bile ducts. 



Symptoms. The gall bladder may contain a large number 

 of gallstones without there being any disturbance of the ani- 

 mal's health. Eberhard found the gall bladder quite full of 

 stones in a pig that was apparently in perfect health. Since 

 gallstones obstruct the outflow of liile the chronic s^anptoms to 

 which they give rise are not characteristic. The animals usii- 

 ally have a capricious appetite. Offensive diarrhea and consti- 

 pation alternate. In ruminants there is t^niipanites, dullness, 

 gradual wasting and anemia, without any symptoms enabling 

 one to determine the cause of the condition. 



