[14] Dr. A. Sidney Doane has recorded a case, in his edition of “Good’s Study of Medicine,” where a woman brought forth fifty-seven children.—Vol. ii., p. 503. [15] A patient was admitted into the ophthalmic wards of the Hotel Dieu, Paris, with great weakness of sight, amounting almost to amaurosis. He confessed that he was in the habit of polluting himself, and that he was immediately seized with complete blindness whenever he addicted himself to the practice. Cases very similar to the above have been noticed by Dr. Doane, of New York, who has paid great attention to diseases of this character. [16] The convertibility of India-rubber to so many useful purposes has not escaped the attention of surgeons, and it is found to be an excellent material for trusses, pessaries, bougies, &c., and consequently much used for them. I find them in my own practice far preferable to metallic or any other description. Many cases of hæmorrhoids, as well as of prolapsus, that have been given up as incurable, on account of the parties objecting to wear metallic instruments, or submit to the operation of excision or ligature, have speedily yielded to the application of the same manufactured of India-rubber; indeed, every day’s experience so convinces me of their superiority and efficacy as a remedy in these disorders, that a patient afflicted with the most formidable form of either disease need not despair of a prompt and certain recovery. [17] The specific gravity of the urine materially depends upon those causes which act diuretically, and upon the quantity of fluids swallowed, which, if taken in excess, of course increases the watery portion of the urine, and vice versa. The density of the urine is ascertained by an instrument called an “Hydrometer,” which, upon being immersed in the urine, indicates its specific gravity. The usual specific gravity of healthy human urine varies from 1.010 to 1.015, while the temperature ranges from 75 degrees of Fahrenheit to 120. The quantity averages from two to three pints per diem, but depends not only upon the quantity of fluids consumed, but also upon the nature of the food, vegetables generating more urine than animal substances. In infancy and old age, the temperature of the urine is below this standard, but nearly equivalent to each other; whereas it is only at the period of puberty that the temperature noted exists. [18] Furnished in the system by the decomposition of urea. —————————————————— End of Book —————————————————— Transcriber’s Note (continued) Obvious punctuation errors in the transcribed text have been repaired.