306 DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE APPARATUS. 



wantiog in echinococcosis, while they are frequently heard in tuber- 

 culosis. 5. In echinococcosis it is at times possible to recognize an 

 increase in the volume of the liver. Finally, tuberculosis in the 

 lymphatic ganglions participate very generally in the morbid 

 process, aud there exists at times a tuberculous mammitis. 



Treatment is absolutely illusory. We could, it is true, try 

 puncture of the cysts, the same as in man, but it is far preferable 

 to sacrifice the patients. 



The prophylaxis is of the highest importance : destroy the organs 

 affected by the echinococcus (a measure which ought to be obliga- 

 tory); free the dogs from the Tœnia Echinococcus; reduce the 

 number of dogs by raising the tax — such are the principal means 

 which ought to be resorted to. 



Addendum. Echinococcosis is not very rare in the human 

 race. In central Germany it causes quite a high mortality : 5 out 

 of each 1000 deaths are placed to its credit. In Iceland, 5 to 10 

 per cent, of the population perish from this disease. Its symptoms 

 are very slow in developing. Hepatic echinococcosis is marked by 

 a fluctuating tumor, which is soft, irregular, with a sensitiveness to 

 pressure upon the right hypochondrium ; in addition, we observe 

 dyspnœa, bronchial catarrh, icterus, aud sometimes abscess forma- 

 tion in the liver. When the lung is affected the cysts may be ejected 

 with the expectorations — a valuable indication, enabling us to de- 

 fine the diagnosis. In cases where the kidney is affected it is found 

 to be tumefied and painful, and the urine often contains isolated 

 hooks. At times echinococci are developed in the brain and pro- 

 duce special nervous symptoms. The disease ends in death ; its 

 average duration is about five years. 



III. Coccidiosis : Psorospermosis. 



Coccidia produce true enzootics in the rabbit. They have also 

 been found in the dog, calf, pig, sheep, birds, amphibia, arthro- 

 poda, and the mollusks. In poultry it is not rare to find them 

 upon the mucous membrane of the cephalic region. We shall 

 return to this fact in treating upon diphtheric stomatitis. (See 

 Infectious Diseases.) 



Natural history. The oviform psorosperms of the rabbit^s liver 

 were discovered by Hake in 1839, and attributed to gregarina 

 by Lieberkiihn in 1856. These are parasitic protozoa living in 

 colonies (hence the name of gregarina, from grexy gregis, meaning 



