THE URINE. 785 



<3erevisiae, lactis, etc.) and " oi'dium," for they are identical in all 

 essential features, as demonstrated by W. Hassloch (see page 40). 

 Alkaline urine, or an originally acid urine which has become 

 alkaline, under the above-named conditions develops micro- 

 cocci, bacteria, and leptothrix, which are smaller and in more 

 active motion the more alkalescent the urine becomes. Alkaline 

 urine sometimes holds the so-called sarcina form, consisting of 

 small granules grouped in rectangular lines ; this is kindred to 

 oidium, and probably but one of the varieties in which mildew 

 appears. 



Pathological Urine. In pathological conditions the urine may 

 be passed as a cloudy liquid of a consistence more or less deviat- 

 ing from that of water. The highest degrees of inspissation are 

 reached in chronic cystitis, when the urine, being highly alkaline 

 and decomposing in the bladder, appears as a viscid, stringy, 

 muco-purulent mass, in which are found large quantities of pus- 

 corpuscles and phosphates, has a repulsive ammoniacal smell, 

 and exhibits varying numbers of clustered micrococci ; a high 

 degree of color is reached, without an increase of consistency, 

 when biliary matters are present in the urine. Both color and 

 consistency are considerably augmented when the urine is mixed 

 with blood. 



A highly acid reaction is due to the presence of a pathologi- 

 cal amount of urea and urate of soda, in fever urine ; also to a 

 red extractive matter (uro-erythrine). In many instances, espe- 

 cially after abundant meat-eating and after intense bodily strain, 

 and in slight disturbances, such as catarrhal inflammation of the 

 mucosa of the respiratory tract, the mucosa of the stomach, and 

 that of the intestine, in diarrhoea, the urine may be found laden 

 with uric acid and urate of soda, which under such circumstances 

 does not indicate a serious pathological condition. Women, in the 

 disturbances preceding menstruation, often void highly acid 

 urine. This, upon passing through the urethra, produces a slight, 

 burning sensation in the mucosa. 



Highly alkaline urine is voided by persons suffering from 

 chronic cystitis, from chronic inflammation in any part of the 

 body, especially in later stages of chronic encephalitis and 

 myelitis. A transient, highly alkaline condition has no patholo- 

 gical significance ; but if this condition is lasting, it points to 

 some serious ailment in the organism. I have several times 

 observed highly alkaline urine, laden with phosphates, as a symp- 

 tom preceding nephritis. 

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