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Over a period of three years 676 renal or ureteral calculi have been decalcified by chelating agents. The matrix has been recovered by ultrafiltration through collodion membranes and subjected to analysis by a variety of techniques. The present report is concerned with the microscopic structure and the histochemical properties of the matrix recovered from calcigerous stones. Sixty-four calcigerous stones of wet weight 60 mg. to 28.35 gm., when surgically removed from the renal pelvis or ureter, were immediately rinsed in water and bisected with a hacksaw. The two halves were placed in a stoppered Erlenmeyer flask containing 500 ml. of decalcifying solution. The filings from the sawcut were subj ected to chemical (1) and spectroscopic (2) analyses.The flasks containing the halved calculi were carefully stored at 3°C. and every effort was made to prevent agitation of the solution. At 7 to 10-day intervals the decalcifying solution was removed by pipette and filtered through collodion membranes of 0.01 micron in pore size.3 Refiltration through membranes of average pore diameter less than 0.005 micron did not result in recovery of additional material. The decalcifying solution was carefully replaced and the process continued for 3 to 27 weeks, depending upon the size of the stone and the rate of decalcification. The residual matrix invariably formed a complete cast of the original stone, and decalcification of a degree permitting sectioning with the

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