Use of diazepam in treatment of severe convulsive status epilepticus.

Quantitative determination of the cells excreted in the urine has until recently been regarded as a cumbersome and timeconsuming procedure (Lancet, 1961). Houghton and Pears (1957) attempted to simplify the technique, and McGeachie and Kennedy (1963) described a method of semi-quantitative cell counting which was suitable for routine use yet was much more accurate than the ordinary wet-film technique. In the course of a recent study of renal function after surgery (Lindsay et al., 1965) it was observed that there was a considerable difference between urinary white cell excretion rates before and after surgery in many patients, so further investigation of this was undertaken.