490 ESSAYS and OBSERVATIONS 



It will fet the difeafe in a clearer light, 

 and obviate a miftake one may be led in- 

 to, to remark, that the great bulk of tu- 

 mor we fometimes feel, notwithftand- 

 ing its firm flefliy confidence, is not the 

 bladder itfelf thickened into fuch an e- 

 rormous fize, a thing hardly concei- 

 vable, and life at the fame time to be 

 preferved ; It is owing to the accumula- 

 tion of urine, and this not being difchar- 

 ged in proportion as it is fecreted ; for 

 it comes away but in fmall quantity at 

 a time, by the force of its own preiTure, 

 and the refiftance of the bladder; which, 

 thus conflantly diftended by the urine it 

 contains, and greatly enlarged by the 

 thicknefs of its coats, forms an exceflive 

 tumor, hard, maffy, or renitent, more or 

 lefs according to circumltances. 



Those 



nied with a palfy of the lower extremities, in which 

 the bladder was found to be half an inch thick. The 

 tumor extended to the navel and the patient, for 

 the moft part, pafled no urine but by means of the ca- 

 theter. In this cafe, a blifler applied to the osfacrum 

 gave relief; and, for fome days, the urine was difj 

 charged without the alliftance'of the catheter. 



