642 PLAIN FACTS FOR OLD AND YOUNG 



should be subjected to careful microscopical scrutiny, 

 as by this means only can their real character be deter- 

 mined. We have frequently found seminal fluid pres- 

 ent when it was least suspected, and when the small 

 quantity discharged was supposed to be simply a little 

 urethral mucus or prostatic fluid. The significance of 

 these discharges is not in proportion to the quantity. 

 Even the very slight amount of discharge, if constantly 

 present, is indicative of a morbid condition, which may 

 in time give rise to the very worst results. When such 

 a discharge accompanies seminal losses, or any other 

 form of sexual weakness, it must certainly be removed 

 before the accompanying difficulty can be entirely re- 

 lieved. The sediment which apjDcars in the urine, as 

 a general thing, has nothing to do with the discharges. 

 These sediments usually consist of phosphates or 

 urates, though sometimes there is more or less mucus 

 present. When this is the case, whitish threads will 

 be observed to float upward from the mass collected 

 at the bottom of the vessel. When the deposit con- 

 sists of urates, the urine is clear when first passed, the 

 sediment only appearing after the urine has cooled. 

 Phosphates appear in the urine when first voided, often 

 giving to it a milky appearance, the cause of which is 

 likely to be attributed to the presence of a large quan- 

 tity of seminal fluid. It is exceedingly rare, however, 

 that spermatozoa are present in so great a quantity as 

 to give the urine this appearance. 



The ordinary results of these emissions, when long 

 continued, are the following: 



1. The most constant of all the morbid conditions 

 resulting from this discharge is a weakened condition 

 of the organs affected. The functional activity of the 

 sexual organs is perhaps more easily disturbed than 



