THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. 299 



trative case of fatty liver is given in the ' Transactions 

 of the Veterinary Medical Association/ vol. iii, p. 234, by 

 Mr. Read. 



Interesting cases of Congenital Hepatic Hernia are given 

 in the ' Veterinary Journal,' vol. iv, p. 344 and 423, by Mr. 

 Swarry of Selby and Mr. Kirk. In them it seems a por- 

 tion of the right lobe of the liver was connected with the 

 posterior part of the lang by the right lateral ligament, 

 there being a foramen through the diaphragm. 



Addendum 1. 



The gall-bladder of the ox has a capacity of several 

 ounces, and its duct decreases in size somewhat after its 

 commencement. The bile of the ox is of a greenish colour, 

 and consists of the following : — ^Water, 90*44 per cent. ; 

 biliary and fatty matter, 8 per cent. ; vesicular mucus, '30 

 per cent.; osmazone, chloride and lactate of soda, '74 per 

 cent. ; sodium, '41 per cent. ; phosphates of lime and soda, 

 •11 per cent. (Berzelius). Diseases of this excretory 

 apparatus have been observed, but are almost always 

 secondary in their character, due to disease of the bowels 

 or biliary ducts. The bile accumulated in the gall-bladder 

 is liable to undergo inspissation and to form biliary 

 calculi. These consist of the bile salts, also pigment and 

 cholesterin, arranged in concentric layers around a small 

 mass previously formed, which acts as a nucleus. . They 

 vary in form, but have rounded margins, and in size 

 upwards to the average size of a walnut. They have a 

 low specific gravity, and so float on bile. Often they are 

 extremely numerous. So long as they remain in the gall- 

 bladder they seem to cause no inconvenience, but during 

 their passage through the central portion of the cystic 

 duct and the terminal part of the common bile duct, cause 

 excruciating agony, due to spasm of the muscular fibre of 

 the wall of the duct. These cannot be distinguished from 

 ordinary colicky pains, our only aid to diagnosis being the 

 occurrence of some biliary calculi in the faeces. 



