DISEASES OF THE LIVER. 183 



fajces, In wliich fragments of indigested food are discoverable. 

 The surest indication is a yellowness about the conjunctiva and 

 the Inner coat of the mouth and the nostrils. This is an oc- 

 casional attendant on the three foregoing varieties of the 

 disease ; but thei'e Is no instance of diseased structure without 

 it. It Is not probable that in the horse this yellowness should 

 arise from the absorption of any accumulated or concrete bile, 

 as in the human subject, on account of the direct communica- 

 tion between the liver and the duodenum by means of the bile 

 duct ; and although It Is possible to be caused by the enlarged 

 liver pressing upon the duct or the contraction of the duct 

 Itself, yet I am more disposed to attribute it to an Inability to 

 secrete good bile or effect a perfect separation of It from the 

 venous blood, or properly to dispose of that which Is secreted. 

 A mass of imperfectly formed biliary fluid is therefore carried 

 along in the circulatory stream, and the discoloration Is spread 

 over every part of the system. At the same time. In default of 

 a sufficient portion of effective bile, the food passes along, and 

 escapes from the intestinal canal veiy Imperfectly digested. 



" The treatment of this variety of diseased liver demands much 

 caution. In no Instance have I found a rapid cure practicable. 

 Experience, therefore, dictates the employment of effective but 

 mild alteratives. The lancet is on no account to be used. 



" The best alterative that I know, and which has always been, 

 to a greater or less degree, useful, or, I may say, effective for a 

 time, is composed of aloes 1 to 2 drachms, calomel 1 drachm, 

 resin 6 drachms, made Into a ball with treacle or syrup. This 

 should be given every third or fourth day ; and on each of the 

 intervening days, the patient should have sulphate of potash 

 3 drachms, carbonate of potash 2 drachms, and ginger 1 drachm, 

 with linseed meal and syrup sufficient for a ball of proj^er size 

 and consistence. 



" The exercise should be regular, the food good, and not less 

 stimulating than the patient has been accustomed to. Ground 

 corn, pollard, green food, and thick gruel, will afford a pleasant 

 and sufficient variety. In the course of a fortnight or three 

 weeks, the patient usually becomes convalescent, or, at least, 

 has considerably Improved. Tonics may then be administered, 

 and the horse Is apparently restored to health. All this, how- 

 ever. Is too often delusive. From unusual exertion or Irregu- 

 larity of feeding, or some unknown cause, the horse relapses. 

 The former mode of treatment will again restore him ; and, 

 perhaps, a third time ; but ultimately he dies. 



" In the post-mortem examination the practitioner will at first 

 be surprised at the absence of those morbid lesions which are 

 usually found at the termination of fatal affections of the ab- 

 dominal viscera, there being no congestion, no suppuration, no 



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