To the Editor:—
On reading Dr. Smith's historical article, "De Urina" (J. A. M. A.155:899 [July 3] 1954), it occurred to me that you might be interested in a delightful and pointed reflection on the subject written by a 17th century commentator, Thomas Fuller. His book, "The Holy State and the Profane State," first published in 1642, contains a chapter, "The Good Physician," in which is found the following paragraph:"He trusteth not the single witnesse of the water if better testimony be had. For reasons drawn from the urine alone are as brittle as the urinall. Sometimes the water runneth in such post-hast through the sick man's body, it can give no account of anything memorable in the passage, though the most judicious eye examine it. Yea, the sick man may be in the state of death, and yet life appear in his stale." (Fuller, T.: The