80 ON DIGITALIS, WITH SOME 



Section IV. 

 On the acidity I have no observations.* 



Section V. 



On the Specific Gravity. — The sp. gr. of my urine is notably 

 hi^h, though not more than that observed by Dr. Christison, 

 r.nd a very great increase in it is always seen at night, probably 

 from the solids of dinner passing off. 



With this I must at present conclude, but I hope to be yet 

 able to make farther use of the data I have collected ; and I 

 would notice that my observations entirely confirm Dr. Bence 

 Jones's opinion that the acidity of the urine is lessened or re- 

 placed by alkalinity during digestion, my urine being acid in 

 the morning, neutral at midday (from breakfast), acid before 

 dinner, and alkaline at night. 



The close connection between brain work and increase of 

 phosphates in the urine is also well marked, there being almost 

 always an increase on the Saturday, from the effect of the dis- 

 cussions at the Eoyal Medical Society on the Friday nights, this 

 increase extending over Sunday ; and, when I have been 

 attending examinations, or reading hard next day, the amount 

 of phosphoric acid is increased. 



[* This statement applies only to quantitative determinations. About six 

 hundred qualitative observations were made, tlie reaction being usually deter- 

 mined each time that urine was passed. These were all described in the 

 manuscript thesis, but those made from November 14, 1865, to March 16, 1866, 

 were not printed in full on account of the expense, especially as the recapitu- 

 latory tables gave the most important facts. In addition to these, however, it 

 may be noted that the urine during digestion was not only neutral or alkaline 

 but was frequently quite milky when passed, from the presence cf eartliy phos- 

 phates. On Sundays, when no work whatever was done, the urine was iu- 

 variably less in quantity, and was not milky.J 



