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of the human prostate Gland. 
greater degree in proportion to its size than any other part ; 
and in some instances the enlargement of it has been very 
great, while it appeared to be only beginning in the lateral 
portions. 
Difficulty in passing the urine is a symptom, which comes 
on very early in diseases of the prostate gland, and arises en- 
tirely from this lobe being increased in size, since any enlarge- 
ment in the lateral portions of the gland widens the canal instead 
of diminishing it, and they do not require much force to sepa- 
rate them ; but the least increase of this lobe tends to shut it up. 
The enlargement of this lobe produces an effect which is 
not generally known, and leads medical practitioners into an 
error respecting the nature of the complaint. The orifice of 
the urinary bladder, which is the lowest part in the natural 
state, is raised up in proportion to the increase of this lobe ; 
so that none of the contents below that level can be expelled, 
although whatever is above it is allowed with more or less dif- 
ficulty to pass out. In this way the person never evacuates 
more than one half or one third of the urine contained in the 
bladder ; but as the water which comes away passes in a stream, 
and the quantity voided in 24 hours is sufficient, no suspicion 
is entertained of the cause of the frequency and distress in 
passing it, and the symptoms are referred to an irritable state 
of the coats of the bladder. It is only by drawing off the urine 
through a catheter that the disease in this lobe can be ascer- 
tained ; as in that way alone the quantity of urine which is 
retained can be determined. No examination per anum can 
give the surgeon any information on this subject ; since the 
posterior surface of the vasa deferentia only is to be felt, if 
the finger should reach so far ; and yet it is in this way that 
practitioners in general pretend to judge of the greater or 
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