The science and practice of medicine . f thatcavity. Among these may be noticed the ventricular and sub-arachnoid spaces, with their varying amount of contained serosity,as furnishing most prominent evidence of provision to accommodatethe varying amount of fluids within the cranium. Morbid states of the brain are also due to a poisoned state of theblood; although such a condition cannot be proved in all cases,—such, for example, as occurs in many of the zymotic and constitu-tional diseases already noticed (^Typhus, Variola, Rheuma-tism, Alcoholism, ISTarcotism, Blood Poisoning by Urea). Urea i
The science and practice of medicine . f thatcavity. Among these may be noticed the ventricular and sub-arachnoid spaces, with their varying amount of contained serosity,as furnishing most prominent evidence of provision to accommodatethe varying amount of fluids within the cranium. Morbid states of the brain are also due to a poisoned state of theblood; although such a condition cannot be proved in all cases,—such, for example, as occurs in many of the zymotic and constitu-tional diseases already noticed (^Typhus, Variola, Rheuma-tism, Alcoholism, ISTarcotism, Blood Poisoning by Urea). Urea in the Blood and Brain It is often of importance to deter-mine whether urea circulating in the blood is contaminating thebrain and impairing its functions. The following instructions are given for the detection of urea inthe brain after death, as well as for its discovery in the blood duringlife: 1. In the Serum.—Take the serum from a good-sized blister, andevaporate it to dryness over a water-bath. The residue is to he ex-Fig. 4.*. tracted with alcohol, which is a ready solvent of urea. This alcoholicextract is then to be evaporated to dryness, and a little water added,so as to make a syrupy mass, which should be plunged into a freezing * Nitrate of Urea (after Beale). No. II Urinary Deposits, Plate III. 318 SPECIAL PATHOLOGY BRAIN DISEASES. mixture, and a few drops of pure nitric acid added to it. If urea bepresent, the characteristic crystals of nitrate of urea are soon found inthe solution, and may be recognized either by the naked eye or by themicroscope (Fig. 4). 2. In the Substance of the Brain.—Toko, about three-fourths of awhole brain, and cut it up into small pieces. Then treat it with foursuccessive portions of boiling distilled water, each portion, consisting ofabout ten ounces, being allowed to stand six or eight hours before thenext is added. The brain while thus macerating should be frequentlystirred and mashed about with a glass rod. The washings, after bei
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