THE JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY. 



87 



present, however, a more or loss pronounced cloudy ring will be seen im- 

 mediately above, and merging into, the colored ring, its extent and in- 

 tensity vary with the quality of albumin present, and it is possible with a 

 little experience to form a fairly accurate idea of the total amount. To 

 this end the depth of the albuminous ring should be accurately measured 

 and the amount of albumin determined separately with an Esbaeh albu- 

 minometer. Hearing in mind the extent of the ring and the amount ascer- 

 tained, it is possible, after a few experiments, to make an off-hand estima- 

 tion from the qualitative examination alone. The same amount of the re- 

 agent and of the urine should, of course, always be employed, and it is 

 -convenient to mark the conical glasses accordingly. When it is desired 

 to gain an insight into the amount of albumin eliminated in the twenty- 

 four hours of the day. all the urine voided during that time should be 

 -carefully collected, and a specimen taken from this collected amount I'oi 

 examination. Decomposition may he guarded against by placing in tin 

 receptacle about one tablespoonful of chloroform. 



The cloud at tie zone of contact may he due to serum albumin, serun 

 globulin, albumoses, or a mixture of these bodies. As serum globulin is 

 always present when serum albumin is found, and as a poor globulinuria 

 has not thus far been observed, its significance is the same as that of serun 

 albumin. If we wish to ascertain whether or not the precipitate contains 

 albumoses, a small amount i- removed with a pipette and heated over a 

 spirit Lamp ^v a Bunsen burner. Should albumoses only he present, tin 

 -cloudiness disappears, and the liquid in the presence of nitric acid turns 

 .a dee]i yellow color. I pon cooling, however, the precipitate reappears. 

 In the presence of a mixture of serum albumin, serum globulin and albu- 

 moses, only a partial solution occurs, and the yellow color is not so marked. 



A pure albumosuria is of special interest in so far as its existence should 

 lead the physician to antieipitate the appearance of serum albumin. Al- 

 bumosuria may also alternate with true albuminuria. 



A very important feature of this test, furthermore, is the fact that it 

 furnishes an insight into the amount oi uric acid eliminated. In order to 

 -obtain results of value, however, it is necessary always to work with speci- 

 mens of urine taken from the collected amount of twenty-four hours, lb 

 uric acid be present in excess, a distinct wafer-like band, resembling al- 

 bumin in its genera] appearance, will be observed in the clear urine abov 

 the zone of contact of the nitric acid and the urine. Should albumin be 

 present at the same time it will he noticed that this hand is separate from 

 tlie albuminous ring by an intermediary zone of perfectly clear urine. If 

 'his point be remembered confusion will never arise, and it will not Tie 

 necessary to study the effect of heal upon the individual precipitates in 



