HEPATITIS. 4.43 



mouth, nose, and eyes of a pale yellow colour; her body 

 constipated ; pulse 50 j appetite all but lost ; had been bled 

 so lately as three days ago. Under the fullest conviction 

 that the liver was diseased, Mr. Hales ordered small doses of 

 aloes and calomel, with sulphate of potash. But one ball 

 had been given when purging came on ; which, however, 

 ceased, notwithstanding that the medicine was continued. 

 The yellowness of the membranes gradually disappeared ; 

 while one day the mare was better, another day worse : thus 

 continuing to fluctuate until the 29th March, the day she 

 died. For some days previous to death, Mr. Hales suspected 

 the presence of water, but was without any signs to deter- 

 mine his prognosis. On being opened, the belly was found 

 to contain several gallons of a red serous fluid. The peri- 

 toneum was thickened, and exhibited a black hue, as also 

 did the external tunics of the colon and caecum, which were 

 even, in parts, '^ granulated. ^^ The liver was very much en- 

 larged. Its peritoneal covering could easily be stripped off"; 

 while its internal structure 'Svas broken down and de- 

 stroyed," having the appearance of " broken-up coagula, 

 interspersed with streaks of pus;" indeed, ^' no vestige of its 

 natural structure remained.'^ 



Treatment. — Aware how gradually and insidiously these 

 chronic affections of the liver steal on ; how little inconveni- 

 ence — to say nothing about pain — they are apt to cause the 

 animal; and consequently, how remote and uncertain the 

 chance is of our obtaining any knowledge of their existence ; 

 we cannot expect, at least in private practice, that they will 

 often come under our notice ; and when they happen so to 

 do, we may anticipate there will be but too much reason to 

 apprehend that they may have passed that limit beyond which 

 they are without the pale of remedy. However, early or late, 

 it becomes our duty to endeavour to act against what is but 

 too evidently " consuming the vitals" of our patient. Should 

 there be febrile symptoms present, and our patient yet strong 

 enough to bear depletion, we shall do right in abstracting 

 blood; not, however, to a large amount ; for, remember always, 

 small and repeated hlood-lettings are, even from the very out- 



