Diseases of the Liver. 187 



ammonia three times a day. Warm fomentations to 

 tlie body, but especially to the loins, are beneficial, alike 

 in soothing irritation in the liver, spinal marrow and kid- 

 neys, and in securing a free perspiration and the elimina- 

 tion of morbid matters by the skin. They may be replaced 

 by a newly removed sheep-skin applied with the fleshy 

 side in, and followed by a mustard poultice. "When the 

 appetite returns the diet must be of sloppy mashes and 

 moderate in quantity. 



In case the paralysis persists after the acute symptoms 

 have subsided, treat as for functional paralysis. 



WOOD EVIL. BED WATER OF CATTLE, SHEEP AND PIGS. 



Under this name we designate a malady generally de- 

 scribed as bloody urine (hcematuria), but as the Hquid does 

 not usually contain blood globules or clots, and as the 

 liver is almost invariably enlarged and softened and the 

 blood elements are largely destroyed, it must be conceded 

 that the affection is more intimately associated with disor- 

 der of the hepatic functions than of any other. The cause, 

 which may be stated as feeding on irritant and vmwhole- 

 some food, is such as is calculated to disorder the digest- 

 ive organs and liver. The blood seems to suffer second- 

 arily, though it is by no means disproved that other blood- 

 forming functions beside those of the liver are involved. 

 The blood itself is usually thin, watery and comparatively 

 incoagulable, with a deficiency of fibrine, albumen and red 

 globules — the last named elements being smaller than nat- 

 ural and irregularly notched around their margins. The 

 urine varies in color from a simple reddish tinge through 

 the various shades of red and brown to black. It contains 

 albumen and various albuminoid agents, excess of urea, 

 cholesterine and phosphates, implying hepatic disturbance 

 and destructive changes taking place in the blood. 



This is essentially a disease of unimproved localities 

 and attacks animals fed too exclusively on products of 

 Buch land, which are naturally stimulating to the digest- 



