DISEASES OF THE LIVER. 185 



hepatirrhcea, or rni^ture of the coats of the liver and hremorrhao-e 

 irom it. 



It generally occurs in old or middle-aged horses, and is pre- 

 ceded by structural disorganisation, which, though existing for 

 some time, generally escapes notice. 



" Its symptoms," observed the late excellent and lamented Mr. 

 John Field, " vary in degree according to the profuseness or 

 rapidity of the hfemorrhages : if the peritoneal investment re- 

 main entire, the effusion of blood is more gradual and in less 

 quantity ; but should this coat be ruptured, by its great disten- 

 tion, or by the collision of the body against the ground from 

 fainting or other causes, the bleeding being unrestrained con- 

 tinues into the cavity of the belly, the most urgent symptoms 

 })resent themselves, and the horse dies, in some cases, within an 

 hour after the first manifestation of illness, previously exhibitino- 

 the whole or the major part of the following : pawing, shifting of 

 the posture, frequent, feeble pulse, sometimes distinct, at others 

 scarcely distinguishable, fulness of the belly (pouting of the 

 nose, curling of the upper lip, sighing, sometimes very fre- 

 quently and deep, partial or general sweating) : succeeding to 

 these are great anxiety, accelerated respiration, restlessness, 

 tossing up the head, tottering gait, extreme debility, fainting, 

 death. On opening the abdomen, we observe the intestines 

 deluged with dark venous blood in a fluid state, the quantity 

 sometimes exceeding ten gallons ; the peritoneum and intestines 

 of a faint yellow colour, or quite blanched. The liver presents 

 a tumid appearance ; some portions of the peritoneal coat appear 

 opaque, and four or five times the natural thickness; elsewhere, 

 one or more rents in the part of the peritoneal coat, which is of 

 the usual tenuity, are observed, through which the extravasated 

 blood has escaped from the ramifications of the vena portarum. 

 Beneath the peritoneal membrane, on each side of the fissures, 

 there is generally some dark coagulated blood. The colour of 

 the liver is various, being either fawn, light yellow, or brown ; 

 its substance is exceedingly brittle, can easily be torn by the 

 finger, and is in some places broken down ; the weight of the 

 liver and extravasated coagula in some cases exceeds sixty 

 pounds. The hepatic duct always contains bile. 



" This increased size of the liver is occasioned by the extrava- 

 sation of blood into the substance and under the peritoneal coat, 

 not by an increase of the natural substance of the organ. If the 

 haemorrhage be not very profuse, the symptoms are less marked, 

 and occasionally doubtful ; but in most instances one or more of 

 the characteristics of the complaint ai'e present, or the obscurity 

 that first existed is gradually dissipated by the aggravation of 

 the symptoms, which generally assume the severe form in a few 

 days. 



