SPLENITTS. 181 



the process of separating the nutritious from the innutritions 

 parts of the food, and facilitates the escape of the faecal matters. 

 It also acts chemically upon the various substances which are de 

 voured by the animal, and is the chief agent in. neutralizing the 

 acidity which some of these would otherwise create. The liver of 

 the pig has four distinct lobes. 



THE SPLEEN. 



In the hog the spleen is very long, and nearly of a uniform 

 breadth and thickness throughout its whole extent. It lies on 

 the left side of the abdomen, and is attached to the stomach by 

 the folds of the epiploon. Its texture is almost like that of a 

 sponge in appearance, consisting of innumerable cells of every 

 size and form, yet it is firm to the touch. In color it is a dark, 

 deep reddish brown. 



There has been much dispute as to the functions and use of this 

 organ. Some persons, arguing from its situation, contend that it is 

 a powerful agent in the process of digestion ; but this is strongly 

 negatived by the fact, that it has been removed from some animals 

 which have existed for a considerable time afterwards, without appa- 

 rent injury to that function. Others again, and with more proba- 

 bility, assume that it has to do with the coloring and conversion of 

 the chyle into blood as it passes through the mesentery, where it 

 becomes mixed with the red coagulable fluid furnished by the spleen. 

 But -*dth these physiological questions we have at present nothing 

 to do : our purpose is simply to consider it with a view to under- 

 standing and treating those diseases of which it is not unfrequently 

 the seat. Little attention has hitherto been paid to them, probably 

 from their symptoms being somewhat obscure ; but nevertheless, 

 different morbid affections of the spleen are by no means uncommor 

 among the lower domesticated animals. This viscus is often rup- 

 tured, distended with blood, inflamed, or softened, from the effects 

 of different causes, but chiefly of damp, heat, or foul air. 



SPLENITTS. 



Swine suffering under this malady are restless and debilitated, 

 shun their companions, and bury themselves in the litter. There is 

 loss of appetite and excessive thirst, so excessive that they will drink 

 up any thing that comes in their way. no matter how filthy. The 

 respiration is short ; they cough, vomit, grind the teeth, and foam 

 at the rnouth ; the groin is wrinkled, and of a pale brownish hue, 

 and the skin of the throat, chest, and belly, (which latter is hard and 

 tucked up,) is tinged with black. 



The remedies are copious blood-letting, gentle purgatives, as 

 Epsom or Glauber's salts, followed up by cooling medicines. Cold 



