[Illustration: FIG. 61.--Sediment from chronic parenchymatous nephritis: hyaline (with cells attached), waxy, brown granular, fatty, and epithelial casts; fattily degenerated renal cells; and a few white and red blood-corpuscles (Jakob).] _Passive hyperemia_ occurs most commonly in diseases of the heart and liver and in pregnancy. The quantity of urine is somewhat low and the color high, except in pregnancy. Albumin is present in small amount only. The sediment contains a very few hyaline or finely granular {134} casts. In pregnancy the amount of albumin should be carefully watched, as any considerable quantity, and especially a rapid increase, strongly suggests approaching eclampsia. 2. Nephritis.--The various degenerative and inflammatory conditions grouped under the name of nephritis have certain features in common. The urine in all cases contains albumin and tube-casts, and in all well-marked cases shows a decrease of normal solids, especially of urea and the chlorids. The characteristics of the different forms are well shown in the table on opposite page, modified from Hill. {135} THE URINE IN NEPHRITIS PHYSICAL. CHEMIC. MICROSCOPIC. ---------------------+---------------------+------------------------ Acute nephritis. | | Quantity diminished, | Urea and chlorids | Sediment abundant, red often very greatly. | low. Much albumin: | or brown. Many casts, Color dark; may be | up to 1.5 per cent. | chiefly granular, blood red or smoky. | Reaction acid. | and epithelial Specific gravity, | | varieties. Red 1.020 to 1.030. | | blood-cells abundant. | | Numerous renal | | epithelial cells and | | leukocytes. ---------------------+---------------------+------------------------ Chronic parenchymatous nephritis. | | Quantity usually | Urea and chlorids | Sediment rather diminished. Color | low. Largest | abundant. Many casts of variable, often pale | amounts of albumin: | all varieties: fatty and hazy. Specific | up to 3 per cent. | casts and casts of gravity, 1.010 to | Reaction acid. | degenerated epithelium 1.020. | | most characteristic. | | Blood present in | | traces: abundant only | | in acute exacerbations. | | Numerous fattily | | degenerated renal | | epithelial cells, often | | free globules of fat,