URINE. 231 



urine remained quite unaffected ; it was pale, clear, of low spe- 

 cific gravity, and very abundant. Willis directs attention to 

 the sediment in simple nephritis, which distinguishes the dis- 

 ease from arthritic attacks ; it usually consists of an amor- 

 phous powder of phosphate of lime with crystals of ammoniaco- 

 magnesian phosphate, (if the urine is neutral or alkaline,) or of 

 urates. If any crystals of uric acid are present, they are only 

 in small quantity. In speaking of the urinary crisis at the 

 commencement of recovery, Schonlein observes that the urine 

 is secreted copiously and forms a creamy, and often a brown 

 sediment, which afterwards separates itself into flocculent mucus; 

 this mucous sediment will often go on for some weeks. 



In nephritis arthritica the urine possesses very peculiar pro- 

 perties : Schonlein describes it as being of a fiery-red colour, very 

 acid, and soon after emission depositing glistening red crystals 

 of uric acid. In one instance Schonlein found that the sediment 

 occupied half the volume of the urine. Sometimes the sediment 

 is of a yellow colour, and occasionally there is gravel, mixed with 

 mucus and blood. According to Willis, the urine in arthritic 

 nephritis contains crystals of uric acid, even at the moment of 

 its emission. 



If the disease terminates in convalescence, Schonlein ob- 

 serves, that either copious sediments of a sandy micaceous 

 appearance present themselves, or gravel of varying size is dis- 

 charged with the urine. 



In nephritis albuminosa, or Bright's granular degeneration 

 of the kidneys, the urine differs materially from the normal 

 type in always containing albumen ; in other points, as for 

 instance colour and composition, it may also be changed, or 

 may more or less resemble normal urine. 



During the first stage of the disease, hsematuria sometimes 

 occurs; I have witnessed a case of this sort in our hospital, and 

 have analysed the urine, which was of a blood-red colour and 

 contained blood-corpuscles but no fibrin. I subsequently ana- 

 lysed the blood of this patient. (See Analysis 37, Vol. I, p. 322.) 

 The urine was neutral, and when allowed to stand, formed a 

 sediment which was shown by the microscope to consist of 

 blood-corpuscles. 



