414 MICTURITION. [BOOK n. CHAP. iv. 



easily excited and frequently repeated reflex micturition. In 

 cases of cerebral or spinal disease a form of incontinence is frequently 

 met with which seems to be of a different nature. The bladder 

 becoming full, but, owing to a failure in the mechanism of voluntary 

 or reflex micturition, being unable to empty itself by a complete 

 contraction, a continual dribbling of urine takes place through the 

 urethra, the fulness of the bladder being sufficient to overcome the 

 elastic resistance at the neck of the urethra. It is probable how- 

 ever that even in these cases the flow is partly caused by obscure, 

 unfelt, intrinsic contractions of the bladder. 



