442 DISEASES OF THE LIVER AND SPLEEN. 



Abscess of the liver must be regarded, in any case, as an 

 extraordinary occurrence among horses ; though, when it 

 does occur and attains any large size, it is possible, and not 

 improbable, it may give rise to tumour, even of considerable 

 dimension, in the region of the right hypochondrium, and 

 umbilicus as well, perhaps. Mr. Kay's attention was called 

 to a two-year old filly having a large swelling in the right 

 hypochondriac region, measuring twelve inches antero- 

 posterior diameter, by eight inches across. It appears she had 

 been some time ago in the breaker's hands, and had sustained 

 falls, and perhaps injury from them. After some treatment, the 

 swelling burst, and discharged '^ a great deal of pus.'' This 

 was followed by her gradual decline, until at length she died, 

 reduced, '^ under the usual symptoms of ancEmia. After 

 death, sinuses were found underneath the skin, leading to a 

 large abscess, which had burst, and deluged the intestines 

 with pus and sanies, in addition to which there was a smaller 

 one in the left kidney." 



The late Mr. Field mentions a case of a horse who died 

 with certain marked though anomalous symptoms, whose 

 liver after death was '^ extremely high-coloured and in some 

 parts tumid," and exhibited " throughout its substance 

 collections of pus from the size of a pea to that of a hen's 

 egg. These collections did not form at regular distances, 

 but had more or less of the substance of the liver between 

 them."i 



The same author mentions another case, in which '^the 

 liver was full of vomicae, superficial as well as deep-seated," 

 of a pony who died of symptoms of " croup. "^ General 

 abscess often commences in this way. 



Ascites may prove a sequel of disease of the liver. A 

 case happily illustrative of this connection is detailed in 

 ' The Veterinarian' for 1832, by Mr. Hales : 



On the 3d February, 1832, Mr. Hales was called to 

 attend a hunter, the property of K. M. Biddulph, Esq. M.P. 

 He found the animal, a mare thirteen years old, much re- 

 duced in condition and very unwell; the membranes of her 



' ' Posthumous Veterinary Records,' p. 107. ^ Ibid., p. 235. 



