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VIII. Remarks on Urine, arid the Prognostics which are 

 derived from it. By Dr. Collenbuch*. 



JL HE superstitious ideas and erroneous opinions of the mul- 

 titude, and even of many persons otherwise well informed, 

 but ignorant of medicine, have made me think that it would 

 be more u?eful to explain to tha-t part of the public who are 

 strangers to the healing art, the phaenoniena w^hich are pro- 

 duced, whether in a state of health or sickness, than to make 

 known empirical rules and modes of treatment, which are 

 more dangerous than tiseful. 



Tliis object ha? been already pavtlv fulfilled in different 

 physiological and anatomical treatises, destined for those 

 who are not physicians ; but let me only say a few words on 

 a subject on which too many persons have false ideas, viz. 

 on urine, and the prognostics derived from it. 



The kidneys are destined to secrete from the blood the 

 fluid known bv the name of urine, and which cannot re- 

 main in the blood without prejudice to the health. The 

 constituent parts of this fluid are different according to the 

 age of the mdividual, the season of the year, food, drink, and 

 other circumstances ; but in general the urine contains w^hat 

 is called salt of urine, a little tonnnon salt, some calcareous 

 earth, and mucus. These substances, according to circum- 

 stances, are dissolved in more or less water. The colour, smell, 

 and taste of urine vary according to the proportion of these 

 ingredients to the quantity of water. Thus, if suitable quan- 

 tities of salt, lime. Sec, are dissolved in a proportionate 

 quantity of water, the result will be urine of a citron-yellow, 

 and which has a particular smell and taste, such as is found 

 in the urine of a person in a state of health ; but if the pro- 

 portion of water is too great relatively to other substances, 

 the colour of the urine 'becomes clearer, and the smell and 

 taste weaker. Supposing a contrary mixture, i. e. if these 

 substances be dissolved in a smaller quantity of water, the, 

 urine takes a darker colour, a stronger taste and smell, and it 

 will become mere yellow, and of a deep or clear red. If 

 it contains other substances, for example, a quantity of bile, 

 * From the German, jtg 



