DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 53 



Plate IV — Continued. 



there becomes the siiblobular vein ; v s, sublobular vein. This joins 

 other similar veins and helps to form the hepatic vein, through which 

 the blood leaves the liver; d d, the position of the liver cells between 

 the meshes of the capillaries; A A, branches of the hepatic artery to 

 the interlobular connective tissue and the walls of the large veins and 

 large bile ducts. These branches are seen at r r, and form the vena 

 vascularis; v i', vena vascularis; i i, branches of the hepatic artery 

 entering the substance of the lobule and connecting with capillaries 

 from the interlobular vein. The use of the hepatic artery is to nourish 

 the liver, while the other vessels carry blood to be modified by the liver 

 cells in certain important directions; g, branches of the bile ducts, 

 carrying bile from the various lobules into the gall bladder and into the 

 intestines; x x, intralobular bile capillaries between the liver cells. 

 These form a network of very minute tubes surrounding each ultimate 

 cell which receives the bile as it is formed by the liver cells and carried 

 outward as described. 



Fig. 2. Isolated liver cells: e, blood capillary; a, fine bile capillary channel. 

 Plate V : 



Appearance of ergot in hay : 1, blue grass ; 2, timothy ; 3, wild rye; 4, red top. 



Ergot is a fungus which may affect any member of the grass family. The 

 spore of the fungus, by some means brought in contact with the unde- 

 veloped seed of the grass, grows, obliterates the seed, and practically 

 takes its place. When hay affected with ergot is fed to animals it is 

 productive of a characteristic and serious affection or poisoning known 

 as ergotism. 

 Plate VI : 



Illustrates the effects of ergot. The lower part of the limb of a cow, show- 

 ing the loss of skin and flesh in a narrow ring around the pastern bone, 

 and the exposure of the bone itself. 



