VOL. XII.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS* 449 



gall was contained in the bladder, but some that was soft of a deep yellow 

 ochre colour that filled up the interstices of the stones. These stones were of 

 various sizes, from that of a nutmeg, to a pepper corn : their colour was of a 

 darkish yellow ochre, although in some there appeared laminae of a browner 

 colour: to the touch, when a little dry, they seemed soapy; their weight was 

 light, and their scent very fetid, resembling that of the purulent matter in the 

 liver. Their consistence was friable ; their figure for the most part triangular, 

 or inclining to that figure, but all angular ; that side towards the gall bag was 

 protuberant and convex, the other two sides were flat; so that having the 

 lesser angle towards the centre of the cavity of the gall bag, like so many 

 wedges, they more completely filled it: I numbered I think above thirty. 



Our inquiry thus far had informed us of the cause of the patient's death, as 

 well as of his former illness, and frequent disposition to the jaundice. But 

 prosecuting our search, we were more surprised to observe the unusual struc- 

 ture and conjunction of both kidneys, the parenchyma of the one being con- 

 tinued over the spine unto the other, so that they both made but one continued 

 semilunary body. This although rare, yet hath been sometimes observed by 

 former authors. The kidneys here were large ; that part that conjoins them, 

 and lies over the spine, was something less than the true kidneys, and in its 

 outward tunicle or membrane had three seams, although that parenchyma in- 

 wardly seemed not to observe such a division, but was the same with the sub- 

 stance of the kidneys. The emulgent vessels were very numerous : for besides 

 two larger veins that were subdivided into several lesser ramifications, there were 

 divers other that were single, even to their insertion into the vena cava. The 

 middle part likewise, by which both kidneys were conjoined, was plentifully pro- 

 vided with blood vessels, for it received from the aorta two arteries, which before 

 their insertion, were each subdivided into three branches; and it sent out two 

 veins, which being joined afterward into one, entered the vena cava. Besides 

 at the seam at the lower part of the left kidney, it had a vein and artery, which 

 afterwards inserted themselves into the iliac branches of the aorta and cava; so 

 that nature, though erring from her wonted rule in forming this part, yet was 

 provident in furnishing it with vessels. But to the whole compages of the 

 kidneys, there belonged only two ureters, but the great dilatation of the pelvis 

 in each was remarkable ; for that of the left kidney when blown up, was larger 

 than it is represented in the figure, and had a triple origin. The right had but 

 a single one, and was less. 



Whether this conformation and structure of the kidneys and its vessels were 

 of much inconvenience to the patient, I shall not define; but am apt to think, 

 that it might occasion as well the great dilatation of the vena cava, as also of the 



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