LIVER, Congestion or Inflammation of.
The treatment of the passive congestion caused by valvular disease will he found mentioned under Heart Disease.
Active hepatic congestion is usually the result of indiscretion in eating, the error being most frequently the indulgence in too much highly seasoned food, over-spiced curries, along with alcoholic liquors when little exercise is taken, especially during tropical heat where chills are common.
Preventive and curative treatment consists in the removal of the casual factors; the use of a simple spare diet of diluted milk or weak vegetable soups, and the avoidance of all forms of alcohol. Calomel in a series of small doses or one large dose, followed by a brisk Saline Cathartic every morning to relieve portal stasis, and ro to 20 mins. Diluted Nitro Hydrochloric Acid thrice daily constitute the best routine. The pain of the swollen liver may be relieved by leeching, cold local packs, warm poultices or counter-irritation. When the affection has followed the
habitual bleeding from piles which has suddenly stopped, leeches may be applied to the perineum and the bites should be encouraged to bleed by the application of a warm antiseptic poultice. Any accompanying catarrh of the stomach usually yields to Calomel, Podophyllin or Euony min followed by saline purgatives; if not, Bismuth Carbonate in ao-gr doses or a simple effervescing mixture may be ordered.
In chronic cases the diluted N.-II. acid is the best agent, alternating with short courses of ro grs. Ammonium Chloride, or in tropical cases with Ipecacuanha in doses short of producing nausea. A local pack of the diluted acid is also very efficacious, alone or combined with more energetic hydropathic measures as cold douching, etc., and the adminis tration of Quinine in malarial cases. A course of Carlsbad treatment is advantageous in all chronic forms of portal congestion.