DISEASES OF THE LIVER. 249 



CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER— CHRONIC INTER- 

 STITIAL HEPATITIS. 



Etiology. — Cirrhosis (%'p/>o?, yellow), though of more fre- 

 quent occurrence in the horse than acute inflammations of 

 the liver, is far more rarely met with than in man. 



Very little, indeed, is actually known of its causes in 

 animals. In man, as is well known, the chief agent in its 

 production is abuse of alcoholic liquors, and, with the ex- 

 ception of syphilis, no other cause of this condition has been 

 with any certainty ascertained. 



Defective and insufficient food-supply are said by some 

 to be the causes of cirrhosis in the horse ; but, though this 

 may be so, nevertheless in some undoubted cases good food 

 has been supplied in abundance. 



By others, cirrhosis is said to follow repeated attacks of 

 inflammation and congestion of the liver. 



Symptoms. — The symptoms of cirrhosis are not as yet 

 clearly known. Among the most important are ascites, 

 congestion and irritability of the intestinal mucous mem- 

 brane, dyspepsia, impaired appetite, and loss of flesh. Some- 

 times indications of jaundice may be manifested, and the 

 liver may be tender on pressure. There are rarely any 

 febrile symptoms. 



As a result of the congestion of the intestinal canal, 

 gastric and intestinal haemorrhage may follow, though this 

 is a very rare occurrence. 



Morbid Anatomy. — In the early stage of cirrhosis the 

 liver is enlarged, from the gradual increase in the connective- 

 tissue in the organ. 



Cirrhosis consists in a cellular infiltration of the inter- 

 lobular tissue, and in the development of a more or less 

 highly organized fibroid structure, which is supplied with 

 new blood-vessels from branches of the hepatic artery. 



