DISEASES OF THE LIVER

Abstract

During the last three years we have been engaged in an attempt to evaluate the clinical usefulness of certain tests for hepatic function. In previous communications we have reported the results of various aspects of this study. 1 At present we wish to report on the functional changes observed in patients with cirrhosis of the liver. Of a group of more than 100 cases originally diagnosed cirrhosis of the liver, the history and physical observations were characteristic and the diagnosis apparently unmistakable in the fifty cases selected for this report. In the majority the diagnosis was confirmed by examination of the liver at operation or necropsy. Syphilis was excluded in these cases by the history and physical examination and by serologic tests. Observations made in the cases of cirrhosis associated with splenic anemia (so-called Banti's disease) and with hemolytic jaundice have previously been reported. The presentation of this material has proved