A Handbook of Medical Microscopy

copist, I have adopted, with some modifications, the arrangement employed by Prof. Lionel Beale, in his invaluable work on Kidney Diseases and Urinary Deposits, as being best suited to the wants of most who will refer to these pages, by exhibiting at a glance what portion of the volume must be consulted in order to find information respecting the particular sample of urine they wish to examine. Let us suppose that a specimen of urine is offered for investigation (some history of the patient being also supplied, as should always be the case); when possible, it is generally best to direct that four fluidounces of that passed on awaking in the morning after a night's sleep should be emptied from a clean vessel into a bottle that has just been thoroughly washed with fresh water, which should be stopped with a new cork, and brought to the physician's office within three hours from the time it was voided; nor is this an excess of precaution, as many who have been puzzled and misled by some accidental impurity occurring in the fluid will, I think, admit without question. On its reception, the urine should be poured into a conical glass, of about five ounces capacity, carefully covered with a piece of cardboard to exclude dust, and set aside where it will be undisturbed, for about twelve hours ; at the end of this period, any existing sediment, which is likely to be let fall at all, will have subsided, and a moment's glance will decide whether such deposit is ...