580 DISEASES OF SWINE 



off the flow of bile from the hver. In this manner the fluid is 

 dammed back into the liver and absorbed into the blood. 



True inflammation of the liver occurs in a limited number of 

 cases, and may be due to the passage of germs up through the bile- 

 ducts. In these cases there is marked swelling and tenderness in 

 the region of the liver. 



The liver is often involved in the course of the acute infectious 

 diseases. In hog-cholera, for instance, the liver is enlarged, swol- 

 len, and congested, and in the subacute and chronic cases of cholera 

 there may be some jaundice. 



As a general rule, however, jaundice may be set down as being 

 a symptom of inflammation of the intestines, irritation of the 

 bile-passages, or gall-stones. These causes will cover the majority 

 of cases. 



Symptoms. — The most characteristic symptom of this disease is 

 the deep yellow discoloration of the visible mucous membranes and 

 of the unpigmented portions of the skin. The hning membrane of 

 the mouth, the whites of the eyes, and the skin in the region of the 

 flanks are all colored a deep golden yellow. In animals that are 

 slaughtered for food purposes the yellow discoloration is very easily 

 seen. It is found to not only involve the skin, but also the fat 

 and the deep tissues as well. In a well-marked case of jaundice this 

 yellow color has somewhat of a greenish tinge, and this becomes 

 more marked on allowing the carcass to chill out. 



In most cases of jaundice there are well-marked symptoms of 

 disease of the stomach and bowels. This may be due to the fact 

 that the jaundice is a result of some interference with the function 

 of these organs, or it may be due to the lack of bile in the intestine. 

 Bile is very essential for the proper digestion of the food, and with- 

 out a plentiful supply of bile the intestines will not work properly. 



Early in the attack there is usually a few days of constipation, 

 and this is followed by a diarrhea with clay-colored or even white 

 stools. Appetite is very much decreased or even entirely lost, and 

 the animal has an unthrifty appearance. The coloring-matter of 

 the bile is soon noticeable in the urine, and the urine becomes 

 scanty, high colored, and of a greenish-yellow color, resembling 

 very much in appearance machine oil. 



The animal becomes very dull and stupid in appearance, and 



