URINE. 297 



he was then treated with astringents, the nitrogenous diet being at 

 the same time increased, and the saccharine and farinaceous mat- 

 ters diminished. After this course had been pursued for some 

 time without any decided benefit, he took daily two ounces of 

 cod-liver oil, and after this had been continued for twelve days, 

 he took, additionally, four grains of iodide of iron. Finally, 

 (these medicines being continued) the gluten bread was or- 

 dered, and the milk and white bread stopped. Under this 

 treatment the daily amount of sugar fell from twelve ounces to 

 seven and three-quarters ; it subsequently, however, rose to nine 

 ounces and one drachm. The urea, which on his admission 

 amounted to only three drachms in twenty-four hours, was now 

 increased to one ounce and three drachms, and the uric acid 

 rose from a mere trace to twelve grains. 



During this course of treatment the digestion seemed good, 

 the thirst diminished, and he occasionally perspired consider- 

 ably ; he had become, however, very emaciated. The saliva was 

 slightly alkaline, and I examined it for sugar unsuccessfully. 

 Sugar was, however, detected in the perspiration. The an- 

 alysis of his faeces will be found in Chapter X. 



In the determination of the sugar and urea there are certain 

 difficulties which I shall briefly notice. On treating diabetic 

 urine evaporated to the thickness of a syrup with warm spirit, 

 the mucus, uric acid or urates, and earthy phosphates are pre- 

 cipitated. On evaporating the filtered spirituous solution to 

 the consistence of a thin syrup, and adding anhydrous alcohol, 

 an insoluble semifluid mass separates, which, when repeatedly 

 treated with anhydrous alcohol, becomes finally thick and tough. 

 On dissolving this saccharine mass in warm spirit, and again 

 precipitating it by anhydrous alcohol, it will still be found to 

 contain a certain amount of urea ; in fact, I have detected urea 

 after the operation has thrice been effected, and I find that 

 sugar can only be obtained free from urea by allowing it to 

 crystallize spontaneously from its spirituous solution. In con- 

 sequence of the difficulty of separating these substances, I pro- 

 ceed in the following manner : the solid residue of the urine 

 is first accurately determined ; a weighed portion of urine is 

 then evaporated, mixed with spirit, and the solution filtered. 

 The filtered solution is evaporated to the consistence of a syrup, 

 and, when cold, mixed with a sufficient quantity of concentrated 



