QQ4 PHILOSOPHICAL TKANSACTIONS. [anNO Ijdl. 



the latter physician minuted down such appearances as presented themselves to 

 their view, and collected the following observations. 



The small intestines, the exterior coat of the stomach, and concave part of the 

 left bbe of the liver, were all considerably inflamed. The gall bladder was veiy 

 large and full of bile. The fat inclosed in the cellular membrane, surrounding 

 the right kidney, was considerably wasted, and very much indurated ; and ap- 

 peared to adhere more firmly than usual to the external surface of the kidney. 

 On removing this kidney with its fat, all the parts adjacent appeared much 

 inflamed. The whole kidney was soft, and contained matter so disseminated 

 through its whole substance, that it issued out on pressure from every part ; in 

 the same manner as an absorbed fluid does from the pores of a sponge. No stone 

 or gravel were found in the pelvis, or any other part of the right kidney. The left 

 kidney was nearly of the same pulpy substance with the right; equally contained 

 matter, though not so large a quantity, and was equally free from stone and 

 gravel. The vena cava, and the emulgent vein of the left kidney, were remark- 

 ably large. The aorta was ossified near its bifurcation into the crural arteries. 



Two unnatural tumours grew on the left and lower side of the pelvis internally, 

 near the junction of the os pubis with the ischium. They were contiguous to 

 each other ; in circumference severally something less than a walnut : and both 

 taken together were 3 inches or more in length. When cut through, they had 

 the appearance of glands, and one of them contained matter, disseminated through 

 its substance in the same manner as the kidneys. On examining the. bladder, 

 the prostate gland was found enlarged and indurated, and the internal coat of the 

 bladder itself inflamed. But neither the bladder, nor the ureters, contained any 

 stone or gravel. No morbid appearance was observed in the liver, lungs, or any 

 other of the parts, besides those above mentioned. 



From the above observations it appears that this case was a general inflamma- 

 tion in most of the contents of the abdomen, and that the suppression of urine 

 was probably a symptom in consequence of the swelling and induration of the 

 prostate gland : which thereby closing the neck of the bladder, made the use of 

 the catheter necessary. That the constitution was become extremely purulent. 

 But as these collections of matter do not appear to have destroyed any of the vital 

 functions, so it seems reasonable to believe that the immediate cause of his 

 death was a general inflammation, and consequential sphacelus, in some of the 

 abdominal contents. 



Instances of abscesses formed in the kidneys, from the lodgment of calculi, are 

 not unfrequent; but then the papillae of the kidneys being irritated and inflamed 

 by the stone, and in consequence the secretory tubes dissolved into matter, the 

 secretion is thereby destroyed, and a suppression of urine always takes place in 

 r^ard to that kidney. Two cases are indeed mentioned, the one by Eustachius, 



