DISEASES OF THE DIGEST: VE ORGANS. 211 
FuNcTionAL DisEasz OF THE LIVER (JAUNDICE OR YELLOWS). 
The liver, like other parts of the digestive apparatus, is liable 
to become deranged, in either function or structure, by errors in 
diet, which is the most potent cause of both functional and or- 
garie disease of the same. In almost all cases of liver disease, 
we observe a yellow tinge of the visible surfaces—membranes of 
the eye and mouth. In order to account for the yellow tinge, we 
must bear in mind that bile is formed in the blood; that the office 
of the liver is to absorb or withdraw it from the circulation con- 
stantly, as fast as it is formed. Disease of the liver, simulating 
jaundice, manifests itself whenever the due separation of the bile 
from the blood is not accompli shed; hence the accumulated bile 
seeks other outlets, namely, the kidneys and intestines, and ex- 
sretory gland of the skin. 
When animals become jaundiced suddenly, we may infer that 
the difficulty, whatever it may be, in the liver, is of an acute 
character ; that is to say, it is recent in origin and active in form. 
Jaundice is a phenomenon of several diseases peculiar to horses. 
During the progress of the epizodtic known as influenza a jaun- 
diced state of the visible surfaces is always present, which disap- 
pears when the patient convalesces, showing that the liver is only 
functionally deranged. When jaundice accompanies indigestion, 
and disappears under the action of alteratives or changes in diet, 
we may also infer that, if not absolutely functional, it is, at least, 
not purely inflammatory. 
Tt is plain, therefore, that jaundice is of but little consequence 
in prognosis, since the symptoms with which it is often associated 
declare, much more positively than itself, the gravity of the affection 
in which it occurs as a symptom. It sometimes happens, however, 
that the function of the liver becomes suddenly interrupted, causing 
pain, after the fashion of what accompanies the bilious colic of man, 
The following case will probably give the reader some idea of 
the nature of acute functional disorder of the liver. The patient, 
a gray gelding, aged nine years, was suddenly attacked with symp- 
toms of colicky pains, for the relief of which the owner had given 
a colic drench, which seemed to afford temporary ease; but soon 
the symptonis reappeared, the animal got down, and seemed to be 
the subject of acute pain. Under these circumstances, the owner 
sent for nis. 
