CHRONIC CONGESTION OF THE SPLEEN. HYPER- 

 TROPHY. 



Hypertrophy from chronic congestion, over feeding, hepatic cirrhosis. 

 In horse : from -mechanical obstruction in heart, lungs, posterior cava, 

 splenic veins, angioma, from glanders or tubercle in lungs, chronic splenic 

 congestion, disease of splenic plexus. Lesions : increase enormous ; mainly 

 of pulp, or largely of fibrous framework. Special neoplasms. Symptoms : 

 excess of leucocytes in blood, eosinophile cells, weakness, anaemia, emacia- 

 tion, bleeding from mucosae, stretching, right hypochondriac tenderness, 

 stiff gait, ascites, colic, disorder of the bowels, rectal exploration. Treat- 

 ment : is that of primary disease ; not encouraging ; quinia, eucalyptus, 

 saline laxatives, open air, sunshine, electricity. In cattle is habitually en- 

 larged in Texas fever area. In lymphadenoma increase mainly of fibrous 

 framework and Paccinian bodies, and of adjacent lymph glands. Symp- 

 toms : leukaemia, employ palpation, percussion, rectal exploration. Treat- 

 ment as in the horse. In swine : from high feeding, leukaemia, lymphade- 

 noma, tuberculosis, neoplasms, liver, heart and lung disease. Lesions : 

 great increase of Paccinian bodies, fibrous capsule and trabecules. In dog : 

 from traumas, leukaemia and lymphadenoma. Enlarged Paccinian bodies 

 and adjacent lymph glands. Symptoms : leukaemia, many eosinophile 

 cells, abdominal enlargement, palpation, icterus. Treatment ; as for large 

 animals. 



A continuation of passive congestion from the causes enumer- 

 ated above, leads to permanent increase of the fibrous reticulum 

 and connective tissue and increase of the splenic pulp. Even the 

 stimulus of a rich and abundant alimentation increases the size 

 of the whole organ, the amount of pulp and the number and de- 

 velopment of the Paccinian bodies. Apart from disease the 

 spleens of well fed cattle or horses are always decidedly heavier 

 than those of the starved or debilitated. Of mechanical causes 

 the most potent is cirrhosis of the liver or some other obstacle to 

 the free passage of blood through that organ. The most com- 

 mon causes are, however, the continuous operation of those 

 specific poisons which determine the acute hypersemias. 



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