CHAPTER X. 

 EXAMINATION OF THE URINE. 



I. GENERAL PROPERTIES. 



NOTE the color of the urine and whether it is clear or 

 cloudy; test the reaction of the fresh urine with litmus paper, 

 and determine the specific gravity with a urinometer. Let 

 a portion stand for some time, note what happens, and again 

 determine the reaction. 



II. CONDUCT TOWARDS REAGENTS. 



Treat small portions of urine with the following reagents: 



1. Caustic Soda: turbidity, precipitation of the phos- 

 phates of calcium and magnesium, which, on heating, become 

 more dense and settle to the bottom; they always appear 

 slightly colored; on standing crystals of ammonium mag- 

 nesium phosphate are also deposited. 



2. Hydrochloric Acid : dark coloration, especially on warm- 

 ing, sometimes a distinct red coloration; on standing crystal- 

 line deposit of uric acid. 



3. On boiling, the urine remains, as a rule, clear and its 

 reaction acid; frequently, however, it becomes cloudy, due 

 to the precipitation of calcium phosphate. In this case the 

 reaction is either neutral or alkaline. This precipitate readily 

 dissolves on the addition of a few drops of acetic acid, while 

 that due to albumin (which resembles this phosphate precipi- 

 tate very closely in appearance) remains undissolved. 



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