CASE OF MYELOPATHIC ALBUMOSURIA 8i 
which was easily squeezed out by slight pressure on the bone. This cavity corresponded to the 
position of a spot of great tenderness which had been especially noticed several months before 
death. 
There was a remarkable backward curve of the dorsal spine, and projection forward of the 
lumbar vertebrae and the promontory of the sacrum, constituting an extreme exaggeration of the 
normal curves. The degree of the curvature in the dorsal region was roughly measured by 
drawing a chord from the front of the body of the Vllth cervical vertebra to that of the IVth 
lumbar. The body of the IXth dorsal vertebra, where the backward projection was greatest, was 
2 inches behind this line. 
The body of the Vllth dorsal vertebra was removed ; it was soft enough to be easily cut 
with the knife. The cut surface felt soft, and presented a disintegrated appearance not unlike 
that of splenic pulp. 
The organs presented no striking abnormality. Those in the thorax were in their usual 
position ; the pleurae were free except for some slight adhesions at the apex ; the right contained 
about I ounce of blood-stained serum, the left about 2 fluid drachms. There was no fluid in 
the pericardium. The lungs were normal. The heart weighed ounces ; the right auricle 
contained a partly decolourized plot ; the tricuspid orifice admitted three fingers ; the left auricle 
was normal ; the mitral orifice admitted two fingers ; the valve appeared to be competent, but the 
curtains were thickened ; the aortic valve was competent, and to all appearance healthy ; there 
was slight atheroma at the beginning of tlie aorta. 
Post-mortem changes were much advanced in the abdominal organs, especially the 
pancreas. The liver weighed 37 ounces, its surface was normal ; there was no fatty change 
in its substance and no secondary growths ; the hilum was free ; the gall-bladder was filled 
with bile, and there were no gall-stones. The stomach, intestines, and spleen were to all 
appearance normal. 
The right kidney weighed 2^ ounces. The capsule was rather too adherent, and on 
removal showed a whitish-yellow cortex mottled by distended capillaries. At the upper end a 
cyst the size of a hazel-nut was found, containing a glairy greenish fluid. At the lower end there 
was a similar cyst about the size of a pea. The cortex was much diminished, the pyramids were 
very white, the blood-vessels were not very obvious. On transverse section the outer third of the 
organ was seen to be occupied by a denser material of a yellowish-white colour. The left kidney 
weighed 2/4 ounces. On section it resembled the right, but the departures from the normal were 
less apparent. On the convexity there was a cyst the size of a hazel-nut. The appearance of 
the organs led us to suppose that they were able to perform their functions fairly well until the 
death of the subject. 
No enlarged glands were found anywhere, nor were any tumours observed either attached 
to bones or in any part of the body. 
A piece of the upper end of one tibia was sawn of. It appeared to be quite normal. 
An examination of the head was not allowed. 
The material reserved for further examination consisted of a piece of a rib, of a dorsal 
*l 
