URINE. 233 



mite whitish lamellse, (epithelium ?) frequently mixed with an 

 amorphous mucous substance. Sometimes the turbidity arose 

 from the presence of fat. 



Rayer states that the amount of albumen is larger in chronic 

 than in acute albuminous nephritis, while, on the contrary, 

 the amorphous urates and the phosphates are diminished in 

 the former affection. In the chronic form of this renal affec- 

 tion, before the commencement of dropsy, the ratio of the 

 quantity of urine to the drink which has been taken, hardly 

 differs at all from the normal proportion. This state may con- 

 tinue for several months, during which period the presence of 

 albumen affords us a certain means of diagnosis. 



Becquerel found the urine ansemic in the majority of his 

 cases, (in sixteen out of twenty-two.) After the separation of 

 the albumen, it appeared clear, pale, and of a greenish colour. 

 Its specific gravity varied from 1006-3 to 1014-7. The mean 

 specific gravity was 1011*3 ; sediments were not often observed, 

 and the reaction was alkaline. The amount of urine differed 

 very little from the normal quantity, and the relative proportions 

 of the most important normal constituents to each other did not 

 seem to be altered, but the urine was usually deficient in the 

 amount of solid constituents. 



In those cases in which Bright' s disease was accompanied by 

 other inflammatory attacks, by cardiac affections, by cirrhosis 

 of the liver, or by pulmonary emphysema, Becquerel found the 

 urine to possess the inflammatory type : it was of a dark colour, 

 high specific gravity, an acid reaction, and not unfrequently 

 deposited a sediment. Out of twenty-two cases of Bright* s 

 disease, Becquerel observed four in which the urine corresponded 

 with the above description, and had a mean specific gravity of 

 1023-5. In two cases the urine was alkaline throughout the 

 whole course of the disease, and deposited sediments composed 

 of the phosphates of lime and magnesia, and carbonate of lime. 

 The urine also contained in these cases a very large quantity of 

 carbonic acid, which was combined with various bases (but chiefly 

 with ammonia); the urea was at the same time considerably 

 diminished, having yielded the elements for the formation of 

 carbonate of ammonia. (See page 213.) 



In some cases Becquerel found that the urine hardly differed 

 at all in its physical characters from the normal type. He ob- 



