578 THE HOOK OF THE Doc. 



in rendering fatty matters into such a state of emulsion or suspension, as will permit of 

 their being easily absorbed by the villi of the intestines, and (3) to act in some way as a 

 natural purgative. 



Dr. Flint tells us that the liver manufactures the glycocholate of soda in the liver, but 

 separates cholestrine from the blood. Now, bear in mind that cholestrine is a poison which, if 

 allowed to collect in the blood, would produce toxaemia. We can see the bearing of this 

 upon our subject, when we remember that there are two kinds of jaundice ; or, to put it in 

 another way, we have jaundice as the result of bile re-absorbed into the blood from the gall- 

 bladder, after having been secreted this owing to some obstruction of the duct preventing the 

 natural flow of the bile into the duodenum ; or jaundice may be produced by some structural 

 change in the liver itself, that organ lacking the power to extract the cholestrine from the 

 blood, and hence the toxaemia, or blood-poisoning. 



We have never seen a case of acute atrophy of the liver in the dog, leading to the 

 complete or partial destruction of that organ, and consequent fatal toxaemia, although there 

 is no reason to suppose that such does not occasionally take place. The symptoms would 

 probably be great excitement, ending in delirium, and, soon after, fatally, in coma. There is 

 little doubt, however, that any one unacquainted with disease would put such a case down as 

 one of rabies. The dog would be killed if he did not die beforehand, with the usual results : 

 proclamations by magistrates, confinement of all dogs for two calendar months, &c., &c. 



The liver is of paramount importance to the animal, if we only limit its functions to two : 

 the neutralisation of the over-abundance of gastric acids, and the saponification or emulsifying 

 of fat. If the liver fails even to a small extent to separate cholestrine from the blood, just 

 to that extent is the blood poisoned ; nervous symptoms and depression ensue, the animal 

 becomes peevish and excitable, and is not only more liable to many dangerous diseases, but 

 becomes at the same time unfitted for properly performing his duties as the servant or com- 

 panion of man. How many cases of temper in sporting dogs, how many of unthriftiness and 

 bad condition, may not be attributed to this ? 



Failing in one of its other functions, think of the evils that may arise from the retention 

 of acid in the blood. Will not the animal be more liable to take chills and inflammations of 

 all sorts, if exposed to. wet or damp, or inclement weather ? Will he not be more liable to 

 become the victim of kennel lameness and rheumatism, which is supposed to arise from lactic 

 acidity of the blood ? 



The juices of the pancreas, which are poured into the duodenum, are intended to suspend 

 or turn the fatty portions of the food into an emulsion of easy absorbency. In this it aids 

 the liver. Those juices help to change starch into sugar, and thus aid the salivary glands. 



As to the real uses of the spleen, probably the least said the better. 



I. Hepatitis. 



Hepatitis, or acute inflammation of the liver, is a disease which is happily not very 

 prevalent in this country among dogs ; but we have seen many cases of it in India and other hot 

 countries, and dogs especially the larger and long-haired breeds often speedily fall victims to it 

 if they are taken from England directly out to the Tropics. That the disease is sometimes as- 

 sociated with pleurisy, has been proved by post-mortem examination. 



Causes. Like most other inflammations, acute hepatitis may be produced by cold and damp, 

 or bathing in chilly water after having been heated as in running, provided the liver has been 

 weak and out of order beforehand. We should ever bear in mind that in cases where inflammation 



