174 CAUSES, SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT OF 



a small vessel may be ruptured and the animal live for some time. If 

 you suspect rupture apply cold water to the sides ; give acetate of lead, 

 one scruple, once or twice a day. It is very difi&cult to diagnose an in- 

 ternal rupture, but you may be able to do it. I have known rupture of 

 the heart to occur, and death is almost instantaneous. In otker internal 

 ruptures death occurs in about twenty to fifty minutes. 



Biliary Calculi, or Bile Stones, are not so common in the horse as 

 in man, but they may exist in great numbers, and when they do 

 they generally give rise to the obstruction of the flow of bile, caus- 

 ing it to be re-absorbed into the system, and this gives rise to 

 jaundice ; therefore jaundice may be a symptom of biliary calculi. 

 There may be, perhaps, ninety or more of these present at one time. 

 These may set up irritation and cause ulceration of the biliary duct, and 

 irritation of the intestines as well. Persons living high and taking but 

 little exercise are liable to these. If you suspect the.=e, which will be 

 shown by yellowness of the mucous membranes, irritation, etc., try the 

 effect of a slight laxative of oil or aloes, and follow by one half drachm 

 to one drachm of hydrochloric acid, well diluted, two or three times a 

 day. It has a tendency to dissolve the calculi, and there is no great risk 

 in trying it, as it is not likely to do any harm. 



Atrophy of the Liver also oocurs -, and also the contrary, or hyper- 

 trophy. The horse gradually falls off in condition ; the digestive organs 

 become impaired ; there is diarrhcea or costiveness ; the feces become 

 changed in colour, although the animal has been fed upon the same 

 kind of food ; by and by there is yellowness of the membranes. This 

 may run on for some time, and the horse still be able to do some work. 



Scirrhous Induration is more likely to occur in old horses, and in 

 most cases is the result of faulty feeding. In man it is often the result 

 of the continued use of intoxicants, especially of a poor quality. The 

 animal falls off in condition ; there is irregularity of the digestive organs ; 

 yellowness of the eyes and mouth, and the animal dies a lingering death. 

 No doubt if the urine, in such a case, had been tested by Harley's test, it 

 would have shown that there was suppre<^sion present. But little can be 

 done for it ; regulate the diet, and use iodide of potassium, etc. 



Functional Disorder of the Liver, without any actual disease being 

 present, is occasionally seen, as in indigestion. Bile is not secreted 

 properly, and a slight yellowness of the membrane appears, costiveness, 

 etc. A convenient term for this is torpidity of the liver. Give those 

 remedies that tend to increase the secretion of the bile ; calomel has such 

 a tendency ; give one scruple to one-half drachm every day for four or 

 five days, and follow by a slight laxative ; regulate the diet and give 

 tonics, but do not give tonics till the system is prepared for it. An irreg- 

 ular supply of salt tends to produce liver troubles. 



Rot in Sheep is due to a flake worm, distoma hepaticum in the duct 

 and even in the substance of the liver. The liver presents a reddened 

 appearance, the tissues are disintegrated, etc. I do not think it exists to 

 any great extent in Canada ; it may exist in the southern part of the 

 United States. In- Britain it is common, and destroys millions of sheep. 

 The ovum of this worm is taken into the stomach and gets into the duct, 

 and gains access to the liver, and after remaining there for some time it 

 changes and escapes by way of the intestines, then undergoes various 

 changes and produces an ovum which may again be taken by the sheep 

 in their water. These parasites are developed to a great extent in the 

 liver, and usually give rise to pain. 



