CHAPTER XXIV 



URINE : ORGANIZED AND UNORGANIZED 

 SEDIMENTS 



THE data obtained from carefully conducted microscopical exami- 

 nations of the sediment of certain pathological urines are of very great 

 importance diagnostically. Too little emphasis is sometimes placed 

 upon the value of such findings. 



The sedimentary constituents may be divided into two classes, 

 i.e., organized and unorganized. The sediment is ordinarily collected 



FIG. 132. THE PURDY ELECTRIC CENTRIFUGE. FIG. 133. SEDIMENT TUBE FOR THE 



PURDY ELECTRIC CENTRIFUGE. 



for examination by means of the centrifuge (Fig. 132). An older 

 method, and one still in vogue in some quarters, is the so-called gravity 

 method. This simply consists in placing the urine in a conical glass 

 and allowing the sediment to settle. The collection of the sediment by 

 means of the centrifuge, however, is much preferable, since the process 

 of sedimentation may be accomplished by the use of this instrument in a 

 few minutes, and far more perfectly, whereas when the other method is 

 used it is frequently necessary to allow the urine to remain in the con- 



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