4^0 Veterinary Medicine. 



are by no means as toxic as are other hepatic products and fatal 

 results may ensue with very slight jaundice of the tissues. 



As a rule, however, the jaundice of the tissues (eyes, nose, 

 mouth, white portions of the skin) is to be accepted as a grave 

 manifestation, indicating either an excessive production and ab- 

 sorption of bile, or a suppressed secretion through the kidneys, 

 or both. Then the poisoning by biliary salts and bacterial toxins 

 is shown in profound dullness, prostration, muscular weakness, 

 indisposition to rise, moving stifly and only when dragged by 

 the collar, the limbs trembling and the back arched. The tender 

 back is arched, the right hypochondrium .sensitive, the expre.ssion 

 dull, .stupid and listless, and con.stipation or a foetid diarrhoea is 

 liable to set in. The heart beats may be strong and irregular, 

 the breathing is easily disturbed and hurried. The temperature 

 at first 104° to 107° may descend to the normal as the system be- 

 comes charged with the toxic products, and does not usually 

 exceed 99.5° after two or three days of jaundice of the tissues. 



The icterus is shown in the eye or mouth, or on any white 

 portion of the skin, and in the urine it will be detected by the 

 eye or by the tests above given. 



In the worst cases the urine is very scanty and of a deep yel- 

 lowish brt)wn color, prostration is extreme, tympany, colic, ob- 

 stinate constipation or bloody diarrhoea may set in, the breathing, 

 hurried or not, is trembling, the pulse small, and the temperature 

 at first high may descend to 95" or even much lower before death. 



The course of the disease varies according to its gravity. If 

 there is complete retention of bile, and abundant production of 

 toxins, the animal dies in one or two days in a state of collapse. 

 If there is general progressive degeneration and destruction of 

 the hepatic tissue without at first absolute suppression of the dis- 

 charge of bile into the duodenum, the patient may last till the 

 fourth or fifth day, or later. 



Lesions. There are u.sually congestion, tumefaction, friability, 

 ecchymosis and even ulceration of the gastric and duodenal 

 mucosa. The organs are empty, but show a reddish brown exu- 

 date of a glairy consistency, and containing red blood globules 

 and pus corpuscles. The same inflammatory lesions are to be 

 traced into the common bile duct, the cy.stic duct and bladder, the 

 biliary ducts, and the acini. The mouth of the common duct is 



