DIARRHGA. 107 
after the looseness has existed several days. Another cause of diarrhcea may 
emanate from the liver, but attacks due to that are rare. Finally, it may be pro- 
duced by powerful cathartics, and excessive secretion from the intestinal surface. 
Diarrhoea occurring in enteritis and other inflammations of the intestine is 
termed symptomatic. Mechanical diarrhoea may be produced by the carthartics 
which physicians term salines, as Epsom salts, that cause the blood to part with 
much of its watery constituent, pour the same into the intestinal canal, and hurry 
it down and out of the body before it can be reabsorbed. The same form of 
diarrhoea may occur in pulmonary and heart diseases, in consequence of ob- 
structed circulation of blood in the intestinal vessels. 
Man occasionally suffers from nervous diarrhcea produced by the painful 
emotions, fright, grief, anger, and the like; and quite frequently it follows an 
attack of severe pain. Dogs are much less abundantly supplied with nerves 
that respond to these influences, yet diarrhoea is frequent with them after pro- 
longed excitement, as experienced on railway journeys and at dog shows; which 
fact may be accepted as evidence that they are not exempt from this variety of 
disease. It is also obvious that the liability of its occurrence is much greater if 
excitement is experienced while yet digestion is in its earlier stages. 
Another form of diarrhaea is termed vicarious. This occurs where the skin, 
kidneys, or lungs are seriously affected and unable to do their share in the work 
of eliminating the waste from the system. For instance, in the course of chronic 
kidney disease attacks of diarrhoea set in now and then, and are salutary, for 
by the means of them poison which the kidneys could not throw off is expelled. 
Chilling of the surface of the body suddenly will produce vicarious diarrhoea by 
causing a great flow of blood to the internal parts and an excitement in them, 
if not congestion or inflammation. Intense heat may also have like effect. 
Again, in many acute diseases this form of diarrhcea is one of the early symp- 
toms, and induced by the specific poisons or germs. Finally, there is the so- 
called colliquative diarrhoea, which sets in near the close of fatal chronic 
diseases. 
When the discharges are scanty, consist largely of mucus, and have the ap- 
pearance of holding iron-rust or brick-dust, they are indicative of worms. If, 
however, they are very frequent, nearly all mucus and tinged with blood that is 
of bright red color, and are accompanied by much straining, that there is a bone 
or other foreign body lodged in the lower bowel should be strongly suspected. 
Assuming again that the discharges are frequent, scanty, consist largely of 
mucus with blood intermingled, there is straining and evidently colicky pains, 
loss of appetite, thirst and fever, and pressure on the abdomen causes shrinking, 
the case is probably one of dysentery. 
The importance of attacks of diarrhcea depends upon their causes; and 
where these can be removed recovery will likely soon occur. The irritative is 
but rarely dangerous if rightly treated except in very young puppies, which are 
(ioe 
