Investigations into the Nature, Causation, and Prevention of Texas or Southern Cattle Fever Page: 29
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THE NATURE OF TEXAS CATTLE FEVER. 29
In thin sections of fresh tissue* the most striking phenomenon was
the filling up of the ultimate bile canaliculi so that the hepatic cells
were inclosed in polygons of yellow lines forming a beautiful network.
(Plate III, Figs. 1 and 2.) When the liver is teased and crushed the con-
tents of these bile canaliculi may be found floating free in the form of
rods, sometimes with Y-shaped ends. (Plate III, Fig. 3.) This stasis
or filling up of the ultimate bile capillaries was present in nearly all
animals examined. It was most pronounced in those whose death fol-
lowed quickly after a high fever. In one case purposely killed in the
early days of the fever the liver was the seat of.marked congestion,
the bile-stasis not having taken place yet. The extent of this stasis
varies considerably. It may be seen in small isolated areas or else it
may involve a large continuous territory. Owing to absence of con-
nective tissue between the lobules it is quite impossible in fresh sections
to make out accurately its distribution. It seems to be most frequently
met with in the innermost or hepatic zone of the lobule (Plate III, Fig.
1; Plate II, Fig. 4), but it may also be found involving the entire lobule.
Small bile ducts between the lobules are often found injected, and rarely
lines of yellow injection may be visible to the unaided eye.
Associated with the occlusion of the biliary canaliculi and ducts is a
more or less extensive fatty degeneration of the hepatic cells. This is
most advanced in prolonged cases of disease. In several which came
under our observation the fatty changes were so extensive that cells
free from large quantities of fat could not be seen. Among other ab-
normal appearances may be mentioned the presence of irregular yellow
clumps of pigment in the hepatic cells, and of stellate masses or blood-
red needle-like crystals (Plate III, Fig. 2) of very minute size (haemo-
globin ?). In one case (No. 139) large branched thrombi were found in
some of the hepatic veins.
The pathological changes observed in sections and teased prepara-
tions of fresh liver tissue are more accurately interpreted in sections of
tissue hardened in Miiller's fluid and in alcohol. The material was im-
bedded in paraffin after having been.passed through chloroform par-
affin. Sections cut in this way were far more serviceable than those
cut in alcohol. The injection of the bile canaliculi is seen only in Miiller's
fluid preparations or in alcoholic materialcut directly without imbedding.
The extent and location of the injection are variable. It may appear
over an entire lobule or only a small portion of it. The fatty degenera-
tion so regularly seen in fresh material shows itself in sections of har-
dened material in a peculiar vacuolated appearance of the cell proto-
plasm, the fat having been dissolved out. The vacuolation may be
more pronounced near the center of the lobule, where the individual
vacuoles may be as large as red corpuscles. Of these there may be
* These were usually made with a razor and examined in iodized serum. The freez-
ing microtome was not generally used because it was desirable in this examination
to preserve the red corpuscles.
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Smith, Theobold & Kilborne, Fred Lucius. Investigations into the Nature, Causation, and Prevention of Texas or Southern Cattle Fever, book, 1893; Washington D.C.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth143538/m1/29/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting University of Texas Health Science Center Libraries.