146 
CALCULI IN THE BLADDER OR A DOG. 
Microscopic Examination of the UrinCy and the Calculous 
Concretions. 
The dark-coloured fluid which was removed from the 
bladder contained a considerable quantity of blood; this was 
evident at once from the presence of large coagula; and 
under the microscope the blood discs were very abundant; 
besides these there were epithelial cells, a quantity of amor¬ 
phous matter, and some large crystals of triple phosphate. 
From the result of the microscopic examination of the urine 
there was good reason to conclude that the calculi were prin¬ 
cipally composed of the triple phosphates; but in order to 
determine the point some of them were submitted to exami¬ 
nation. In form the bodies were spherical or polygonal, the 
colour nearly white or light yellow, the surface, to the unas¬ 
sisted eye, appeared smooth, but under a magnifying power of 
thirty diameters it was irregular in consequence of numerous 
projecting angles of crystals, some of which had become 
rounded off from attrition. The calculi were unacted upon 
by water, and also by caustic potash, but dissolved readily in 
acetic acid and in the mineral acids; the addition of a little 
ammonia to the acid solution caused an abundant white 
precipitate, which was found, under the microscope, to con¬ 
sist of phosphate of lime with stellate crystals of triple phos¬ 
phate. It was therefore evident that the concretions con¬ 
sisted of this salt, in combination with phosphate of lime. 
The causes which led to the deposit are not apparent in the 
historv of the case, but there is no doubt that the urine was 
highly charged with phosphatic matter, and,it maybe,rendered 
alkaline, probably from mal-assimilation ; and in such a state 
of the fluid the phosphate cannot be maintained in solution. 
Our limited literature on this subject does not permit us to 
refer to many instances of calculus in the urinary organs of 
the dog; but two cases occur to us, both possessing some 
points of interest. One instance of vesicular calculus is 
recorded by the late Professor Morton in his pamphlet on 
^ Calculous Concretions.’ The animal affected with the 
disease was a very small spaniel; the calculus was so large 
as to nearly fill the bladder, and was felt easily through the 
walls of the abdomen. The next case was one of renal calculi, 
forwarded to us by Mr. Clarke, of Islington. No history of 
the case was given, but the morbid specimen is in itself 
of considerable interest. In both kidnevs there are several 
small calculi, the largest of the size of a horse-bean, lodged 
in the pelvic cavities. In composition all these concretions 
from the several dogs are (^losely allied. 
