diseases of the digestiv'e orgas 8. 211 



Fcnxtional Disease of the Liver (Jaundice or Yellows). 



The liver, like other parts of the digestive apparatus, is liable 

 to become deranged, in either function or structure, by errors in 

 diet, which is the most potent cause of both functional and or- 

 ganic disease of the same. In almost all cases of liver disease, 

 we observe a yellow tinge of the visible surfaces — membranes of 

 the eye and mouth. In order to account for the yellow tinge, we 

 nrist bear in mind that bile is formed in the blood; that the office 

 of the liver is to absorb or withdraw it from the circulation con- 

 stantly, as fast as it is formed. Disease of the liver, simulating 

 jaundice, manifests itself whenever the due separation of the bile 

 from the blood is not accompli jhed ; hence the accumulated bile 

 seeks other outlets, namely, the kidneys and intestines, and ex- 

 cretory gland of the skin. 



When animals become jaundiced suddenly, we may infer that 

 the difficult} 7 , whatever it may be, in the liver, is of an acute 

 character • that is to say, it is recent in origin and active in form. 

 Jaundice is a phenomenon of several diseases peculiar to horses. 

 During the progress of the epizootic known as influenza a jaun- 

 diced state of the visible surfaces is always present, which disap- 

 pears when the patient convalesces, showing that the liver is only 

 functionally deranged. When jaundice accompanies indigestion, 

 and disappears under the action of alteratives or changes in diet, 

 we may also infer that, if not absolutely functional, it is, at least, 

 not purely inflammatory. 



It is plain, therefore, that jaundice is of but little consequence 

 hi prognosis, since the symptoms with which it is often associated 

 declare, much more positively than itself, the gravity of the affection 

 in which it occurs as a symptom. It sometimes happens, however, 

 that the function of the liver becomes suddenly interrupted, causing 

 pain, after the fashion of what accompanies the bilious colic of man. 



The following case will probably give the reader some idea of 

 the nature of acute functional disorder of the liver. The patient, 

 a gray gelding, aged nine years, was suddenly attacked with symp- 

 toms of colicky pains, for the relief of which the owner had given 

 a colic drench, which seemed to afford temporary ease ; but soon 

 the symptoms reappeared, the animal got down, and seemed to be 

 the subject of acute pain. Under these circumstance?, the owner 

 sent for me. 



