TREATMENT OF INFLAMMATION. 155 



(When the urine is described as simply albumi- 

 nous, it is to be inferred that there was no dis- 

 colouration from any admixture of blood. Before 

 weighing the kidneys, the vessels were divided close 

 to their entrance into the organ, and the blood per- 

 mitted to ooze from them; but no pressure was 

 applied. The left kidney was, with one or two 

 exceptions, that operated on ; but I satisfied myself, 

 by frequent comparisons, that there is no natural 

 inequality between the weight of the two organs.) 



From this last table, then, we may confidently 

 infer that there is no relation between the nature 

 of the effused matters, and the extent of the dila- 

 tation of the coats of the vessels, as measured by 

 the quantity of blood they contain. And here I 

 cannot avoid directing attention to the close re- 

 semblance which some of the results observed in 

 these experiments bear to the phenomena noticed in 

 chronic inflammation affecting the human subject. 

 For in the latter case we also generally find the 

 same inequality between the amount of local 

 hyperaemia and the degree of intensity of the in- 

 flammatory attack, as indicated by its symptoms 

 and immediate effects. 



It having thus been shown that neither the degree 

 of completeness of the obstruction, nor the extent of 

 dilatation of the vessels, constitutes the peculiar 

 cause of the difference in the results induced, let us 

 now proceed to examine the only remaining phy- 

 sical agency to which that difference can possibly be 

 ascribed. And, as calculated to elucidate the nature, 

 operation, and source of this agency, it may be well 



