Through the kindness of Dr. Wilks, I had the opportunity of examining the liver, and analysing the urine, in a typical case of acute atrophy, which he reported in the Pathological Society's "Transactions," vol. xiii. p. 107. The brief history of the case is as follows:--E. K., aged seventeen, a married woman, in the third month of pregnancy, was seized with a bilious attack, and jaundice, after having a violent quarrel with her husband, who accused her with infidelity. The patient was first under the care of Mr. Bisshopp, of South Lambeth, who found her suffering from jaundice, accompanied by some febrile symptoms, and vomiting. In two days she became delirious, had violent screaming, and convulsive fits, which were rapidly followed by unconsciousness. Next day the patient was seen by Dr. Wilks; she was then quite insensible, with slight stertorous breathing, {36} and foam on the lips. The pupils were moderately dilated, and sensible to light. The pulse 120. The hepatic dulness reduced to a narrow band over the lower ribs. No urine had passed for twenty-four hours; a catheter was therefore introduced, and twelve ounces of clear bilious-looking fluid were drawn off. This urine I had the opportunity of analysing a few days afterwards. It was then of a yellow-ochre colour, and contained a considerable deposit. The analysis gave: Specific gravity . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1028 Reaction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . acid (?) IN 1000 PARTS. Water . . . . . . . . . . . . 948·860 Solids (organic, inorganic) . 51·138 ======= Urea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30·000 Uric acid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0·375 Resin and mucus . . . . . . . . . | Bile, colouring matter, and acids | Urohæmatine . . . . . . . . . . . | . . . 14·575 Leucine, and tyrosine . . . . . . | Inorganic salts . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6·188 ====== The biliary acids (contrary to what Frerichs found in some of his cases) were present in this urine in fair quantity. With Pettenkofer's test (sulphuric acid and sugar) a decided purple colour was obtained. {37} When a portion of the urine was concentrated, and allowed to crystallize slowly, beautiful crystals of both tyrosine, and leucine were detected in it by means of the microscope. The purified urine also showed the presence of sugar in small quantity. When the organic solids were burned, they had a strong odour, and gave off a smoky _flame_, thereby showing that the urine contained a considerable quantity of fatty resin. As calculating the constituents of the urine by _percentage_ is a very unsatisfactory method for scientific purposes, it may be useful for me to give the analysis of the same urine as calculated for twenty-four hours, viz., twelve ounces, the amount drawn from the bladder shortly before death. In that case the analysis gives: