DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS 53 



cirrhosis of the liver and acute yellow atrophy (lupinosis). Gall- 

 stones, abscesses, ruptures, and carcinoma are rare and as a rule are 

 incurable. There remains for practical therapeutics only icterus, 

 which is frequently presented for treatment, especially in dogs. 



Physiology. — The physiological functions of the liver are not 

 entirely understood. In addition to the secretion of bile (digestion 

 of fat) and the production of glycogen (regulation of carbohydrate 

 metabolism), the liver appears to be active in the removal of poi- 

 sons from the body. This function is exercised chiefly in the 

 excretion of toxic substances formed in the body (auto-intoxication), 

 but poisons and drugs are also ehminated. In addition, antitoxic 

 substances appear to be formed in the liver to protect and immu- 

 nize the body against infectious diseases; an example of this is the 

 inmiunizing action of the bile in rinderpest. Finally, important 

 transformations and metabolic processes take place in the liver 

 (disintegration of red blood-cells, formation of urea and uric acid, 

 decomposition of alkaloids). On the other hand, recent investiga- 

 tions cast doubt upon the antiseptic properties formerly attributed 

 to bile by which it was assumed to prevent putrefaction in the 

 intestines (only the free bile acids exert a disinfectant action upon 

 the intestinal contents). 



Therapeutic Methods. — In icterus and in circulatory disturb- 

 ances of the liver (acute and passive hyperaemia, hepatitis), the 

 liver can be affected either by stimulation of the secreting liver 

 cells, or by removal of mechanical obstructions to the outflow of 

 bile, or by regulating the circulation of blood in the organ. Cathar- 

 tics and intestinal disinfectants act as prophylactics by protecting 

 the liver from harmful material in the intestines. The liver also in 

 some diseases possesses a pronounced capacity for self-protection 

 and for compensatory processes (compensatory hypertrophy in 

 distomatosis). 



The methods of treatment most frequently used are the 

 medical (cholagogues), dietetic and mechanical. The operative 

 methods used in human medicine for gall-stones, abscesses, 

 wounds, and echinococci are of no practical importance in 

 veterinary medicine. 



