Heiss records an interesting case of general calcification of the horse’s liver, with large aneurism of the abdominal aorta, mesenteric and renal arteries. The liver was thirty-two pounds, puckered on the surface and showed calcic degeneration of the walls of the vessels and hepatic tissue, to such an extent that when the organ was dried it did not add materially to its hardness. Microscopically the diseased centres indicated minute blood clots (thrombi), with fibrinous development and cretifaction. The lesions in this case were attributed to multiple emboli in connection with the aneurism. It might suggest further, microbian infection of both the aneurismal and hepatic vessels. In another case of extensive cretifaction of the horse’s liver reported by Cszoker, the calcified masses tended to assume rounded forms like tubercle, and had a clear glistening surface.
These lesions are mainly interesting in a pathological sense, and unless they are very extensive do not give rise to appreciable symptoms.
Treatment could only be prophylactic and directed to the removal of the special conditions, in which the calcification originated in a given locality.
ACTINOMYCOSIS OF THE LIVER.
On damp infested soil, in cattle and swine. Round tumors, hard surface, soft centre, fibrous sac, club-shaped cells in tufts. Symptoms of liver disorder. Coincident external actinomycosis. Treatment: potassium iodide.
In damp soils where actinomyces are present in the soil and vegetation, it is not uncommon to find the characteristic growths in the liver of cattle and swine. Rasmussen saw twenty-two cases of hepatic actinomycosis in one year (1890) and in a number of cases he has found the liver, spleen, peritoneum and intestine simultaneously affected. Jensen who has also recorded hepatic cases, found tumors extending from the liver to the diaphragm. He describes them as rounded masses, of different sizes, enclosed in a fibrous envelope of variable thickness, hard and resistant at the surface and somewhat softened toward the centre. Microscopic examination detects the club-shaped cells arranged in tufts and radiating from a common centre.
Symptoms are only the general indications of hepatic disease differing according to the size, and position of the morbid product and its interference with normal functions. When, however, superficial actinomycosis is found these symptoms may be fairly attributed to the existence of similar products in the liver.
Treatment consists in the administration of potassium iodide in full doses, daily for a week, followed by a laxative, and then, after an interval of two days, repeat the treatment for a second week, and so for a third, fourth and fifth until the microbe has been destroyed.
PARASITES OF THE LIVER.
Lying as it does in the channel of the blood charged with the products of absorption from the intestine, the liver is especially liable to parasites. Among protozoa are: Monocercomonas hepatica (pigeon), saccharomyces guttulatus (rabbit), eimeria falciformis (rabbit), coccidium oviforme (rabbit, pig, dog). Among the lower cryptogams are actinomyces (ox, pig). Of the tapeworm family are: Cysticercus tenuicollis (ruminants, pig), c. pisiformis (rabbit), c. cellulosa (dog, pig), echinococcus veterinorum (animals, man), tænia fimbriata (sheep, deer), and an undetermined cœnurus (cat). Of trematodes are: Distoma hepatica (herbivora, man), distoma lanceolatum (herbivora, man), distoma giganteum, or Americanum (cattle), d. truncatum, d. conjunctum, d. campanulatum (dog), amphistoma explanatum (ox). Of nematodes are: Stephanurus dentatus, ascaris suis, oesophagostoma dentatum (pig), sclerostoma equinum, ascaris megalocephala (horse), ascaris bovis (ox), oesophagostoma columbiana (in ruminants), filaria hepatica, enstrongylus gigas, ascaris marginata (dog), ollulanus tricuspis, ascaris mystax (cat). (See Parasites).