HEPATITIS.
Forms of hepatitis: Parenchymatous hepatitis. Definition: Degeneration of hepatic cells. Relation to enteritis and nephritis. In horse—causes:—as in congestion, pampering, spoiled fodder, malt, inundated meadows, chill, overfeeding, hot moist climate, hæmoglobinæmia, infection. In cattle—causes:—forcing ration, hot weather, overwork, infection. In dog—causes:—infection from alimentary canal. Lesions: Enlarged, softened liver, round edges, a week later yellow atrophy, granular on section, bloodless. Acini with indefinite margins, cells granular, nuclei lost. In dog centres of softening. Symptoms:—in horse: Attack sudden, rigor, fever, dullness, prostration, yellowish red mucosæ, unsteady gait, slight colic, anorexia, urine decreased, glairy, brownish red, groaning in defecation, excited circulation and breathing, increased icterus by third day, fœtid, colorless diarrhœa. Diagnosis: Coincidence of fever, prostration, icterus, painful defecation, fœtid diarrhœa, light color of stools, tenderness and flatness on percussing hepatic area. From influenza by absence of watering eyes and contagion. Prognosis in horse: Very grave unless urine is free. Treatment in horse: Portal depletion, calomel, ipecacuan, salines, diuretics, fomentation of loins, antiseptics, derivatives, mineral acids, bitters. Careful laxative diet in convalescence. Symptoms in cattle: Slower onset, anorexia, dullness, depression, drivelling saliva, grinding teeth, icterus, constipation, later fœtid diarrhœa, pale colored stools, recumbency, groans on rising, arching back, tender right hypochondrium, fever. Prognosis grave. Death in five to six days. Treatment as in horse: Only saline laxatives. Symptoms in dog: Muscular tremors, staring coat, hyperthermia, icterus, fœtid breath, ventral decubitus, extreme prostration, anorexia, tender right hypochondrium, diminished urine, death in two or three days. Treatment in dog: Calomel and jalap, diuretics, laxatives, derivatives, germicides, in convalescence, mineral acids, bitters, careful diet.
The different forms of inflammation of the liver are distinguished according as they affect, especially the hepatic cells and tissue of the acini (parenchymatous), as they result in suppuration (suppurative, catarrhal, abscess), as they cause necrobiosis in nodular masses (infectious or necrotic), as they lead to fibroid thickening under the peritoneum and proper capsule (perihepatitis); or as they cause general fibroid induration of the organ by increase of its connective tissue (cirrhosis).