To the clinic of hepatolienal diseases

Recently, from a large group of liver diseases, we have learned to distinguish such forms in which, by splenectomy, jaundice was not only eliminated as the main symptom of the disease, but it was often possible to suspend the further development of cirrhotic liver changes that had already occurred. Gradually, we became convinced that in certain diseases that were associated only with a disorder of liver function, the spleen also plays an outstanding role as the most important factor of the disease. This led to the assumption of the existence of a close relationship between the spleen and the liver, so that it was possible to talk about diseases of the hepatoleinal system, which means a large biologically combined system in which the spleen, liver and bone marrow (their reticuloendothelial elements) play an outstanding role. All these three organs work in concert under normal conditions, but under pathological conditions there is a disorder of the functions of the hepatoliinal, resp. endothelial reticulum. the system as a whole, and its individual ingredients in particular.