The best and most modern methods of the examination of urine as required in medical practice / by W. Henry Kesteven.

  • Kesteven, W. Henry (William Henry)
Date:
1892
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The best and most modern methods of the examination of urine as required in medical practice / by W. Henry Kesteven. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    THE BEST AND MOST MODERN METHODS OF THE EXAMINATION OF URINE AS REQUIRED IN MEDICAL PRACTICE. By W. Henry Kesteven, M.R.C.S. For all practical purposes the important facts required to oe determined respecting any given specimen of urine are the following : I. The amount excreted in a given time. II. The colour, whether light, normal, dark or coffee- coloured. III. The specific gravity. IV. The reaction as determined by litmus or turmeric. V. The principal constituents of clinical importance, as determined chemically. VI. The characteristics of the deposit both (a) macro- scopic, and (b) microscopic. The first four of these points may be said to be deter- minable at sight, and can therefore be dismissed in a few words. But the determination of the two latter points require considerable attention, for we cannot now-a-days afford to do the examination of urine in the old-fashioned perfunctory style. (I) THE AMOUNT PASSED IN A GIVEN TIME. It is convenient for various reasons to let the given time be twenty-four hours. Normally in this period the amount of urine passed is about 50 ounces, but it may vary from ten to fifteen ounces either way without becoming abnormal. (II) THE COLOUR. The colour of the urine should be sherry coloured It may be normally a pale or dark shade of that colour. But it is not normal when it is almost colourless, when its yellow tinge becomes brown or reddish brown, olive tinted red, coffee coloured, or black. The colour sometimes depends upon the deposit, and the urine should be allowed to stand long enough for this to settle before its colour is determined. The colour of the deposit will be considered later on. (Ill) THE SPECIFIC GRAVITY. The specific gravity of the urine is normally 1020. This is determined best by urinometers. These instru- ments should be carefully graduated with their degrees diminishing in size from above downwards, if accuracy of