222 A New Method of Preserving Tumours and 



more than two years. My symptoms have, during this time, been 

 as follows : great general debility, more or less dyspeptic symptoms, 

 aggravation of rheumatic stiffness and soreness (not pain), from 

 which I have suffered for years. A constant tendency to lose the 

 erect position, and droop in the neck and shoulders. A gradual 

 impairment of virility, amounting for the last six months almost to 

 extinction. In fact, to sum up all in a word, general debility with- 

 out apparent cause covers the case. I have run the gamut, under 

 the ablest advice, of tonics, stimulants, and nutritious diet, and have _ 

 taken a sea-voyage of three months' duration, with no appreciable 

 benefit. A few months ago I accidentally discovered — what had 

 never before been suspected — the presence in my urine of albumen 

 in large amount. Its presence is persistent, and its quantity on the 

 increase. The deposit after being precipitated, and allowed twelve 

 hours to settle, just half fills the tube. I have never had any sign 

 of dropsical effusion, but for the last year or more have suffered from 

 periodical attacks of almost uncontrollable diarrhoea, developing 

 themselves with much regularity about every two months, and 

 lasting from three days to as many weeks. The amount of urine 

 secreted is about thirty-two ounces for twenty-four hours, variable 

 in colour, but never turbid when fresh. I micturate a little oftener 

 than when in health, always having to rise at least once during the 

 night ; urine much inclined to foam, sp. gr. normal (1021). 



Prof. , of Philadelphia, has pronounced my liver, spleen, and 



heart healthy, while my vital capacity as indicated by the spirometer 

 is fifteen per cent, above par. . . . May I trespass upon your pro- 

 fessional courtesy so far as to ask you to solve the problem, in which 

 I am so much interested, by a microscopic examination ? The pre- 

 sence of casts will of course demonstrate renal degeneration ; but 

 suppose no casts are found, what then ? How in that case would 

 my malady be termed ? Certain it is I am suffering from some- 

 thing which, unarrested, must hurry me to a goal not dim or far dis- 

 tant. Please give me your views in reference to diagnosis, prognosis, 

 and treatment. . . . Soliciting an early reply as the greatest favour 

 that could be rendered to one in my present condition of suspense, — 

 it is the suspense alone that tries me, — I subscribe myself, &c." 



This letter — which, I should mention, Dr. with brave un- 

 selfishness, and in the spirit of a true philanthropist, has most 

 generously given me permission to make free use of in preparing any 

 paper upon the subject — was accompanied by a small box, enclosing 

 the two samples of urinary deposit. Each specimen was contained 

 in an ordinary two-drachm vial, stopped with a cork that previous 

 to its insertion into the mouth of the bottle had been wrapped in a 

 piece of thin india-rubber, and then, being pressed in to the level of 

 the lip, had been firmly tied down with another small circle of sheet 

 caoutchouc. The ingenious precautions thus employed to prevent 

 leakage were entirely successful, but the long journey of some twelve 



