DISEASES OE THE LIVER. rgv 



ihe right side only in ruminants), the month hot and clammy, 

 tongue furred, mucous membranes more or less dusky or 

 yellow, and the heat of the body raised by 2° or upwards. The 

 bowels may be at first loose, yellow, and bilious, but soon are 

 confined, the small pellets of dung being covered with a yellow- 

 ish mucus, and this state may again give place to a mucous 

 diarrhoea. Appetite is usually completely lost, emaciation 

 advances rapidly, blood spots and patches appear ;m the visible 

 mucous membranes, and the legs, especially the hind ones, 

 swell or stock. Great nervous atony, convulsions, or even 

 delirium may appear toward the last 



In dogs there is great dulness and muscular weakness, 

 inclination to lie constantly, unsteady gait, dusky or yellow 

 membranes, furred tongue, prominence of the last ribs on the 

 right side, and tenderness along them and their cartilages. 

 When the disease is fully developed the tumid edge of the 

 liver may be felt behind the last rib and the costal cartilages. 

 A brownish, mucous diarrhoea succeeds to the preliminary 

 constipation. Great nervous prostration and stupor usually 

 precede death. The disease is very fatal in dogs, but may 

 merge into the chronic form with ascitis or end in a perfect 

 recovery. 



Foivls, especially the less lively birds, suffer much from 

 hepatitis when well fed and kept in a small poultry-yard. They 

 may die suddenly of effusion of blood on the liver without any 

 previous signs of illness, or they may droop for some days or 

 even weeks prior to death. Any change in the habits of close) v 

 confined, plethoric fowls should lead to suspicion ot Hver 

 disease. Ruffled feathers, sinking of the head between the 

 wings, sluggishness in running or feeding, drooping in a corner 

 alone, with a withered brownish appearance of the comb, and 

 jaundice of the skin are especially to be noted. 



Treatment. — Bleeding is rarely beneficial, and we must rely 

 mainly on depletion from the portal system and liver by 



