118 GLANDS. 



by following the directions usually given for this purpose. It can, 

 however, be always easily and distinctly shown by the following 

 process: "Very thin slices of the kidney are to be made with 

 Valentin's knife, put into a long test tube about one third full of 

 water, and agitated from time to time for two or three hours. Pre- 

 pared in this manner, a thin section exhibits under the microscope a 

 kind of mesh, network, or honeycomb arrangement the cells of the 

 honeycomb, however, having no bottom. In the natural condition 

 of the kidney, the smaller cells or openings transmitted the tubes ; 

 the large cells or openings were occupied by the Malpighian bodies; 

 which last, together with the tubes, have now been washed out of 

 the cells, although a few are often seen still remaining in situ, pi. 

 28." Here follow representations of similar preparations from the 

 kidney of the rat, dog, rabbit, raccoon, hog, sheep, ox, horse, elk, 

 moose, black bear, and finally of the human kidney. " According 

 to my experience," he continues, " it is rare to find a human kidney 

 which is perfectly healthy. This is particularly the case in subjects 

 in the dissecting room, and in those who have died in large hospi- 

 tals. Out of more than 500 subjects which I have examined in this 

 city, I have seen but very few in which the kidney could be regarded 

 as in an entirely healthy condition. Being very anxious to procure 

 a perfectly healthy specimen of the organ, I obtained a considerable 

 number of kidneys from the bodies of persons killed by violence and 

 accidents, but these were also found to be diseased, most probably 

 from intemperance, etc. I at length procured the healthy organs 

 from which the present view of the matrix is here given." 



"From what has now been said and exhibited, it is evident that 

 the fibrous matrix is really the skeleton, or frame-work of the kid- 

 ney. It consists of myriads of septa, or partitions, crossing each 

 other in various directions, so as to form elongated spaces for the 

 straight tubes, or rounded spaces, cells, or rings, for the Malpighian 

 bodies and convoluted tubes." " In certain pathological conditions 

 of the kidney, it becomes diminished in size, and indurated ; its sur- 

 face is irregular and covered with small projecting points, like vari- 

 ously sized shot. This condition is not unfrequently seen in old 

 drunkards, and would seem to be analogous to cirrhosis of the liver, 

 and probably induced in a similar manner ; the alcoholic fluid passing 

 through the tubes of the kidney, and by continued irritation pro- 



