306 THE SECRETIONS: 



It contained in 1000 parts : 



Water . . 989-7 



Solid constituents . .10-3 



Urea . . .3-3 



Uric acid . . .0-2 



Fixed salts . . .3-2 



Organic matters . . 3'6 



I am indebted to Dr. Golding Bird for the following analysis 

 of the urine in polydipsia. A woman aged 43 years observed 

 that, in the course of four months, the amount of urine rose 

 from the normal quantity to 140 ounces. The specific gravity 

 was 1010. 



The whole quantity of water amounted to . 60419 grains 



solids . 1439 



Urea . . .376 



Uric acid . 21 



Fixed salts . . 462 ] 



When this diuresis occurs in nervous persons at an advanced 

 age, Willis observes that it should not be regarded lightly, as the 

 prognosis is almost always unfavorable. 



By anazoturia, Willis understands the excessive secretion of 

 urine very deficient in solid constituents and especially in urea, 

 and he considers that all the cases of diabetes which have 

 been reported as cured may probably be classed under this 

 head. The urine is passed in very abundant quantity, and 

 is either of a pale straw colour or entirely colourless, and has a 

 very slight odour. It has either a very mild acid, or else a 

 neutral reaction; in the course of twenty-four hours it becomes 

 ammoniacal, and forms a precipitate, at the same time becoming 

 covered with a film containing crystals of ammoniaco-magnesian 

 phosphate. This disease seems common amongst the children 

 of the poor, who have been brought up on an improper diet. In 

 a child treated by Willis the urine was perfectly devoid of colour, 

 its specific gravity was that of distilled water, and 1000 grains left, 

 after evaporation, a residue of scarcely one grain, which consisted 

 of mucus, urate of ammonia, phosphates, and a trace of urea. 



A man, who for many years had suffered from a sensation of 

 extreme weakness, thirst, and gnawing pain in the region of 

 the heart, discharged from six to seven quarts of urine daily : it 

 was almost devoid of odour, of a pale straw colour, and one 

 thousand parts left a solid residue of twenty, of which only two 

 were urea. 



