XXI.] ABNORMAL CONSTITUENTS OF THE URINE. 139 



5. Albumosura. Hemi-albumose, which, however, is really a mixture of 

 three different proteids, has been found in cases of osteomalacia. If such a 

 urine can be procured, do test 2 (b.\ using nitric acid ; the deposit only takes 

 place after a long time or on cooling, and in fact the urine sometimes becomes 

 almost solid, but is dissolved by heat. If there is a deposit, filter and test the 

 filtrate for proteid reactions, e.(/., the biuret test. It will give a precipitate 

 with acetic acid and potassic ferrocyanide. Then saturate a portion of the 

 urine with sodium chloride, and acidify with acetic acid = a precipitate, which 

 dissolves on adding much acetic acid and heating, and reappears on cooling 

 (I>. 73)- 



6. Peptonuria. Peptone is frequently present in albuminous urine. Pep- 

 tone is most frequently present in urine in cases where there is an accumula- 

 tion and breaking up of leucocytes or pus-corpuscles, as in 



the stage of resolution of pneumonia, suppurative processes, 

 and in other diseases. Procure such a urine. It is well to 

 get rid of the albumin by acidification with acetic acid and 

 boiling. 



(a.) Put some urine in a test-tube, and by the contact 

 method pour on some Fehling's solution. At the line of 

 junction a phosphatic cloud is formed, and, if peptones be 

 present, above it a rose-pink colour. If albumin also be pre- 

 sent, a violet colour is obtained. Hemi-albumose gives the 

 same reaction. 



7. Quantitative Estimation of Albumin. This can only be 

 done accurately by precipitating the albumin, drying and 

 weighing it ; but as this is a tedious process, and requires 

 much time, it is not suitable for the physician. 



8. Esbach's Albuminimeter (fig. 71). 



A. The Reagent. Dissolve 10 grams of picric acid 

 and 20 grams of citric acid in 800 cc. of boiling water, 

 and make up the solution to a litre. 



Dr. Johnson finds that a solution of picric acid in 

 boiling water (5 grains to the ounce) gives the same 

 result. 



B. Process. Pour urine into the tube (6 inch x f 

 inch) up to the mark U, then the reagent up to the 

 mark R, mix thoroughly. Set the tube aside for 

 twenty-four hours, and then read off on the scale the 



height of the coagulum. The figures indicate the FIG. 71. 

 grams of dried albumin in a litre of urine i.e., the Esbach ' 8 Tnbe - 

 percentage is obtained by dividing by ten. If the 

 coagulum is above 4, or if the original s.g. of the urine is above 

 i oio, dilute the urine first with one or two volumes of water, and 

 then multiply the resulting figure by 2 or 3 as the case may be. If 

 the urine be alkaline, it must first be acidulated by acetic acid. 

 If the amount of albumin be less than 0.5 grams per litre, it 

 cannot be accurately estimated by this method. 



