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DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE APPARATUS. 



denly and persist for a few days, together with icterus, diarrhea, 

 or constipation (Birnbaum). They also frequently produce troubles 

 of digestion/ 



Diag-nosis. The diagnosis may be formulated by taking as the 

 basis the coexistence of colics and icterus. 



Treatment. We ought to give Carlsbad salts and alkalines, 

 regulate the diet, and give the patients moderate exercise, 



PARASITIC DISEASES OP THE LIVER. 

 (LIVER FLUKE.) 



I. Distoma Hepaticum. 



This disease is frequent in the sheep, quite common in the pigy 

 much rarer in the ox. Distomiasis is produced by two species of 

 parasites, which are found isolated at times, or simultaneously, in 

 the biliary vesicle and canals. 



1. The hepatic distoma [Distoma hepaticum)^ one centimetre and 

 a half to four centimetres long, one-half to one centimetre wide, of 

 an oval or oblong shape. It is found in the sheep, the ox, the 

 goat, and the pig, and more rarely in the horse, the donkey, and 

 the cat. 



2. The lanceolated distoma {Distoma lanceolatum) is smaller, J 

 to 1 centimetre long, 1 to 3 millimetres wide, lanceolated or lingui- 

 form. It is more particularly observed in the sheep and the ox, 

 but is also found in the goat and the pig. 



Natural history. The distomas are plathelminths of the 

 Trematode group, which, in order to reach a complete state of 

 development, undergo very complicated metamorphoses ; the 

 studies of Leuckart and Thomas have thrown some light upon 

 those of hepatic distoma. 



The eggs, provided with an operculum, are expelled with the 

 excrements, when the temperature and humidity are favorable ; 

 within four to six weeks an embryo is hatched with a ciliated 



1 Chassing has found a case of tearing of the gall-bladder produced by calculus 

 arrested in the ductus choledochus. The ox which was the subject of this observa- 

 tion had shown symptoms of indigestion: colics and meteorism, pulsations 70, respi- 

 rations 50; the mouth was hot and dry, the extremities cold. At the autopsy an 

 acute peritonitis was found, which was consecutive to the rupture of the gall-bladder, 

 and at the mouth of the ductus choledochus an encysted calculus, absolutely pre- 

 venting the discharge of bile. — n. d. t. 



