THE LIVER 39 



certain intoxications is probably due to its action on the 

 coagulability of the blood. 



According to some authors, extracts of the liver are toxic. 

 Mairet and Vires find that injection of a watery extract of 

 rabbit's liver into the veins of another rabbit causes various 

 severe affections of the respiration, heart's action, and the 

 nervous system, and a dose of 60 grammes per kilogramme of 

 body weight is fatal. The efficiency disappears on heating the 

 extract. Of course, these are enormous doses. It is probable 

 that in corresponding doses other animal extracts prepared in 

 the same way would be equally injurious. 



Liver extracts have been administered therapeutically in 

 several affections. The value of cod-liver oil has been sup- 

 posed to be due to its containing some of the internal secretions 

 of the liver. Hepatic opotherapy is recommended in digestive 

 disorders, hepatic insufficiency, hepatic cirrhosis, haemorrhages 

 due to liver disorders, phlebitis, icterus, hepatic diabetes, gout, 

 ansemia, and tuberculosis. It is in cases of hepatic diabetes 

 that liver extracts might be tried with the best prospects of 

 success, but it cannot be guaranteed that any good results will 

 certainly accrue. 



