Hepatic Steatosis. 531 



abundant food, rich in hydrocarbons and carbhydrates, and little 

 exercise ; if it has received in food or water continuous doses of 

 phosphorus, arsenic or antimony ; if it has lived in a hot moist 

 climate or stable ; if there has been a tendency to costiveness and 

 indigestion ; if the patient is weak, easily fatigued and short- 

 winded ; if there is a slightly yellowish red tinge of the conjunc- 

 tiva and if the urine is scanty and contains little urea. If the 

 disease is more advanced and the animal emaciated, it may be 

 possible in the smaller animals at least to manipulate the liver to 

 make out its increase, its smooth surface, and its absence of ten- 

 derness. 



Treatment. When met with in meat producing animals the 

 best resort is to turn these over to the butcher. When in an 

 animal which is mainly valuable for breeding purposes, or in 

 horses or carnivora, something may be done to check the 

 progress of the malady, and maintain at least the present con- 

 dition. The value of this will of course depend on how far the 

 disease has already progressed. Cows that have spent a winter 

 in a hot swill stable are of little use afterward for breeding or 

 dairy uses and advanced cases of fatty degeneration in the horse 

 or dog hold out little hope of a satisfactory issue. For cases in 

 the earlier stages, nothing can be better than a run at grass, 

 where there is opportunity for shelter from the noonday sun. 

 If the pasture is short and the animal has to exercise to se- 

 cure a living, so much the better. If kept indoors the patient 

 should have a clean, roomy airy box stall, with a moderate allow- 

 ance of easily digested food, and laxatives and cholagogues daily 

 such as Glauber salts, aloes, calomel, podophyllin or cream of 

 tartar. Mineral acids, especially nitro- muriatic acid, and bitters 

 may also be given. The preparations of iron are sometimes 

 useful in maintaining the tone of the digestive organs and 

 counteracting anaemia but they must be conjoined with diuretic 

 doses of bicarbonate of soda. 



There is great advantage in stimulating the skin, and active 

 brushing, currying, hand-rubbing, and even cold douches may 

 be resorted to. 



