THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 169 



of disorder, as I have said before, that we can but rarely adduce 

 in veterinary practice. 



" Jaundice, produced from whatever cause it may be, consists 

 in the absorption of unchanged bile into the circulation, which bile 

 becomes diffused and conveyed to every part, giving rise to those 

 appearances that are so remarkably characteristic of its presence. 

 It does not appear to originate either in defective or altered 

 secretion ; for, had not the liver done its office, how could we 

 explain the appearance of bile in the system at all ? 



" The yellow aspect that jaundice gives to the skin, the mouth, 

 and the eyes, at once betrays its presence. The skin is every 

 where dyed yellow, though the change is only visible to us in 

 places bare of hair. The membrane of the mouth puts on the 

 same appearance. The conjunctiva (the membrane lining the 

 eyelids) has a yellowish-pink hue, the cornea is obscured, a yel- 

 low sediment may often be perceived floating in the anterior 

 chamber, and the iris itself is tinged in places with this yellow 

 dye. The bowels are costive ; the excrement that is voided is 

 hard, buttony, and dark-colored, besmeared often with a yellow, 

 slimy matter, like b'ile diffused in mucus, and consists of dryish 

 masses of ill-digested aliment. The urine is a deep-yellow or 

 orange color, and is sparing in quantity. In the human subject, 

 the absorption of bile into the system often generates considera- 

 ble disorder, operates, in fact, like so much poisonous matter, 

 exciting an itching sensation of the skin, and depressing the 

 strength and spirits of the patient ; and the latter of these effects 

 is often very remarkable in jaundiced horses. The eyelids are 

 drooping or closed; the head hangs down; there is evident 

 sinking both of strength and spirits*, and often there is a degree 

 of moping stupor present, which, at times, borders on vertigo, 

 so that the animal walks unsteadily, or reels as he mo^es ; his 

 pulse is about 60 or 65 ; his respiration is unaffected, and his 

 flank untucked up. 



" In the treatment of jaundice, our sheet anchor is purging. 

 No time should be lost in exhibiting ten or twelve drachms of 

 aloes ; * and, if we can insure the administration of it, the # 



* The dose is too large. 

 15 



