Gall Stones in Cattle. 543 



ent to the mucosa of the gall bladder and require to be scraped 

 off. These granules may be looked on as the first step in the 

 formation of calculi or encrustations. 



The causes of biliary calculi in cattle are mainly close confine- 

 ment, dry feeding, abundant rations, the presence of trematodes 

 in the bile ducts and finally microbian infection. 



Lesions vary. With obstruction of the common bile duct or 

 cystic duct, there are usually dilatation of the bile ducts with 

 fibrous thickening of their walls so that they stand out as white 

 branching lines on the back of the liver. In extreme cases the 

 common duct may acquire the calibre of the small intestine. The . 

 gall bladder may participate in this thickening (Chassaing) or 

 may even rupture (Proger, Shaw). 



In connection with obstruction microbian infection extends 

 upward into the liver, and in rupture of the bladder an acute, 

 diffuse septic peritonitis follows (Chassaing). This only follows 

 on infective inflammation of the gall bladder. Aseptic bile causes 

 little or no irritation. 



Symptoms. As in the horse, general symptoms of ill health or 

 hepatic disorder are not pathognomonic. The presence of inter- . 

 mittent attacks of constipation, and colic, with icterus, tympanies 

 and violent efforts at expulsion are the diagnostic symptoms of 

 an acute attack. Pulsation and respiration are accelerated, and 

 the urine dense, high colored, oily and slightly yellow. Reboul 

 has noticed that symptoms are aggravated on exposure to cold ; 

 there are great prostration and dullness, frequent moaning and 

 marked indications of tenderness when the right hypochrondium 

 is percussed. Chariot has observed that the only symptoms may 

 be persistent jaundice with scanty, high colored urine, containing 

 some sediment. 



Treatment is essentially the same as in the horse. Vanswieten 

 and Verheyen draw special attention to the fact that whereas bili- 

 ary calculi are very common in cattle during winter, they are 

 rarely found in animals that have been for even a short period 

 on the spring grass. Spring pasture is therefore the best thera- 

 peutic agent. During paroxysms of colic, Glauber salts, or olive 

 oil, antispasmodics and fomentations over the liver are to be 

 tried. In the intervals salicylate of soda, sodium and potassium 

 carbonate, olive oil, chloroform, and ether may be used. Abun- 

 dance of water and aqueous rations are essential. 



