425 
THE DISEASES OF THE PROSTATE GLANDS. 
length the pus makes its escape into the bladder, or through the 
urethra or rectum. After the evacuation of the pus, the urine is 
discharged freely. If this fluid has been collected in one cyst only, 
the suppuration — at first abundant — diminishes by degrees, and 
after a somewhat long period the patient becomes perfectly reco- 
vered ; but when there are two or more distinct cysts in the body 
of the gland, it is rare that they all come to maturity and burst. 
Then the frequency of the pulse continues, and the patient wastes 
away, and dies of marasmus. 
Chronic inflammation of the prostate often succeeds to acute ; 
but more frequently the disease is developed at first under a mild 
form, and is never accompanied by any acute inflammatory pheno- 
mena. It is sometimes difficult to recognize the commencement of 
chronic inflammation of these glands. The jet of urine becomes 
smaller — it diminishes every day, until at length it is discharged 
only drop by drop. 
After acute inflammation the prostate is usually found enlarged, 
red, easily torn, and containing several small purulent deposits, or 
one only, occupying the whole of the body of the gland. After a 
case of chronic inflammation, the gland is ordinarily indurated, 
scirrhous, and often containing calculi. 
It is deemed of much importance to procure a speedy resolution 
of the inflammation, and to prevent both suppuration and the 
change to a chronic state. For this purpose, general bleeding is 
resorted to — leeches are applied to the perineum — partial or com- 
plete warm baths are used — and emollient and narcotic injections 
and cataplasms are had recourse to. A very small quantity only 
of fluid is allowed. Mercurial frictions are sometimes applied to 
the perineum. In retention of urine it may be necessary to intro- 
duce a catheter, or, in some few cases, to puncture the bladder. 
The following case has just occurred. A poodle dog, highly 
fed, and that was almost always shut up in the apartment of his 
master, had appeared unusually dull for two or three days. He 
would not eat, he was constipated, and his urinary evacuations 
were rare. His master administered some emollient injections, 
and gave him a decoction of lime-flowers with nitre. His depres- 
sion increased every day — the constipation became more obstinate 
— and he scarcely evacuated any urine. 
He was brought to our hospital on the 2d of May, 1828, about 
six o’clock in the morning. He held his head low — he staggered 
as he walked — it was with difficulty that his hinder limbs were 
moved at all — the membranes were red — the tongue was hot and 
dry — the respiration accelerated — the pulse hard, frequent, and 
concentrated — the belly distended, and painful when touched, and 
some mucus of a yellowish- white colour exuded from the anus. 
At half past six o’clock he was placed in a warm bath for half 
an hour — a dozen leeches were placed on the hypogastric region — 
