138 KENNEL DISEASES. 
Jaundice occurring suddenly, in apparent health, and not accompanied by 
pain or other very severe symptoms, can generally be attributed to disturbance 
of the nervous system, possibly caused by great excitement; and if that assump- 
tion be correct, the jaundice should prove transitory. 
Very great depression characterizes this affection when due to disease of the 
liver or other organ, or to infectious fever, as distemper. 
When attended with well-marked fever there is generally inflammation of 
the biliary passages or elsewhere within the liver; the latter being caused by 
some infective poison. 
If it occurs suddenly, and is preceded by'colic and vomiting, stoppage of 
the gall-duct is usually the cause. 
Following gastric or intestinal irritation, it is generally due to a similar 
trouble in the gall-duct, and should speedily pass off. 
When induced by pressure of tumors, possibly they can be detected by 
examination; or the poor health previously existing will have suggested the 
possibility of some such cause. 
If associated with dropsy, the chances are that there is a disease of the liver 
which is likely incurable. 
The primary essentials in treatment are to restrict the diet to milk, scraped 
raw lean beef, or other foods free from fats, sugar, or starches; quarter the 
patient in a comfortable room; give him gentle exercise occasionally, and under 
a blanket if the weather is cold; and keep his bowels moving two or three times 
daily. 
Calcined magnesia suggests itself as the best laxative, and a teaspoonful to 
a large dog, two or three times daily, will be near right. Or if it is not suffi- 
ciently powerful, a tablespoonful of the syrup of buckthorn may be given every 
morning, unless its action is too pronounced, when, of course, the quantity must 
be lessened. 
Until the laxative employed has made the movements easy, there is likely to 
be much straining because of the hard, dry, and lumpy condition of the intes- 
tinal refuse; therefore in such case it is advisable always to assist by means of 
injections of sweet-oil or soapsuds. 
Colic occurring, it should have the usual treatment. So, too, with vomiting,: 
the appropriate remedies for which have been duly considered elsewhere. 
Gray-powder, calomel, or other mecurials are forbidden in popular practice, 
since to determine the actual cause existing will rarely be possible, and these 
agents if used must be given blindly, consequently be liable to do far more 
harm than good; moreover, if a case is curable, nature will be successful, pro- 
vided the assistance advised be rendered her. 
When the patient begins to improve the urine will be less dark colored. At 
the same time the discharges will darken; and they may be quite black and 
have much the appearance of tar. 
