520 Acute Diffuse Parenchymatous Hepatitis of the Sheep. 



dice indicate acute hepatitis, provided the history of the case 

 is in agTeement witii that. Diagnosis can be made earliest in the 

 dog. Frohner ol)served two cases in which, besides great weak- 

 ness, there was severe janndice and susceptibility to pressure 

 over the liver. In one case there was fever. 



In the acute hepatitis caused by the plants of the genus Seneeio, 

 there is persistent diarrhea, marked tenesnuis and frecjuently prolapse 

 of the rectum. There are also symptoms of excitement, and death oc- 

 curs in 2 to 3 days. 



Treatment. The line of treatment indicated is the adminis- 

 tration of neutral salts, various mild purgatives or disinfec- 

 tants. The quantity of fat in the diet should be restricted, and 

 the diet should be changed. 



Literature. Frohner, Monh., 1894, V, 306.— Kas, T. Z., 190G, 249.— Lipa, 

 ibid., 1907, 289. — Robertson, J. of Comp. Path., 1906, 97. 



Acute Diffuse Parenchymatous Hepatitis of the Sheep. Azary re- 

 cords the annual occurrence during the months of January and Feb- 

 ruary of a peculiar disease among the pregnant ewes on a farm in 

 Hungary. During a period of five years the losses amounted to 473 

 ewes (29% of the flock). The disease broke out a few days after the 

 animals were brought in, and attacked principally the ewes that were 

 in the most advanced stage of pregnancy, and of these only the best 

 nourished. 



The symptoms presented were as follows : The animals became 

 markedly dull and lay on the ground with half -closed eyes. On the 

 second or third day, after a partial recovery, rumination was sus- 

 pended and the animals again became semi-comatose. The temperature 

 was normal at first, but then rose to 40°-41.5° C. before death. At the 

 outset the pulse was accelerated and later became weak. Respiration 

 was hurried throughout, and in the late stages was of the Cheyne- 

 Stokes type. The animals lay on their sides seeking to relieve the 

 pressure over the region of tlie liver. Tlie urine was reduced in quan- 

 tity and contained alliumen, epithelial cells from the straight tubules of 

 the kidneys and from the bladder, and leucin bodies. On the 5th or 

 6th day, there was complete apathy, grinding of the teeth and muscu- 

 lar tremors. The wool came out in large tufts and the animals died 

 about the end of the first week in a state of complete exhaustion. 



At the postmortem the liver was found to be enlarged, anemic, more 

 or less soft in consistency, yellowish or exceptionally brownish-yellow 

 in color, as in cases of poisoning by phosphorus. The lobules were 

 grayish-yellow and translucent, with a grayish-white peripheral zone. 

 The margins of the lobules were indistinct. Besides numerous drop- 

 lets of fat the liver cells contained rounded yellow translucent bodies 

 that were not soluble in alcohol or ether (leucine?). There was no 

 evidence either of parenchymatous or fatty clegeneration in the kidneys 

 but the above-mentioned bodies were present in the lumen of the 

 tubules. Other lesions were : hemorrhages of the serous membranes, 

 and parenchymatous degeneration of the heart-muscle. 



Azary described the disease as an acute diffuse parenchymatous 



