202 ORGANISED FLUIDS. 



After each effusion of semen, in whatever way occasioned, a 

 certain amount of that fluid will still remain behind, adhering 

 to the surfaces of the urethra ; this, of course, contains the 

 seminal animalcules, which will be washed away on the first 

 passage of the urine through the urethra. 



The great object, then, is ft) establish the fact of the ex- 

 istence of spermatozoa in the urine : this may be accom- 

 plished in two ways ; either by filtration or decantation, the 

 latter being perhaps the preferable method of the two ; the 

 spermatozoa, being heavier than the urine itself, always sub- 

 side at the bottom of the vessel, and where they may always 

 be found, if present in even the smallest numbers. 



The urine, as already mentioned, has the property of pre- 

 serving the seminal animalcules, which may be detected in it 

 months after their discharge from the urethra. 



M. Donne * states, that he has never succeeded in detecting 

 the seminal animalcules in the urine, unless as the conse- 

 quence of an emission of semen, and which may have occurred 

 either during connexion, in an involuntary manner, or through 

 masturbation. Now, if this be true, the occurrence of the 

 spermatozoa in the urine declares positively the fact, that 

 a discharge of semen has been sustained, and this particular 

 is often in itself sufficient to enable a medical man to form 

 an opinion of the case. 



It seems to me, however, by no means sufficiently proved, 

 that an escape of the seminal fluid with the urine does not 

 take place independently of any distinct emission. I am in- 

 clined to think that such escape is an habitual occurrence 

 even with the most healthy, especially with the continent, 

 and that by it the surcharged testes are relieved whenever 

 requiring such relief. 



This view is to some extent supported by the observations 

 of Dr. John Davy f and Wagner J : the former excellent 

 observer states that on examining the fluid from the ure- 



* Cours de Microscopie, p. 818. 



f Edin. Med. Surg. Jour. vol. ii. p. 50. 



| Loc. cit. p. 21. 



