20 SULPHOCYANATES IN SALIVA. [BOOK II. 



genons product is carbamide or urea, a body which can be formed 

 with remarkable ease by a rearrangement of the atoms of ammonium 

 cyanate, and whose formation probably points to the presence within 

 the proteid, at least at the time of decomposition, of cyanogen residues. 



The sulphocyanates of the saliva are doubtless likewise derived 

 from the decomposition of proteids. Inasmuch as ammonium sulpho- 

 cyanate can be transformed into sulphur-urea, just as ammonium 

 cyanate can be transformed into urea proper, it would appear pro- 

 bable that some sulphur-urea should occur in the organism. Maly 

 made a search for this body, but in vain. 



Sulphocyanic acid was found by Leared 1 to be an almost constant 

 constituent, not only of the saliva but also of the blood and urine of 

 man and certain other animals, and his observations have been con- 

 firmed by those of Gscheidlen* and Munk 3 . In the urine, Leared 

 found one half grain in 16 ozs., or Oil grm. per litre. Gscheidlen 

 estimated the amount at 0'02 grm.. and Munk at 0'08 grm. per litre. 

 Gscheidlen believes that the sulphocyanic acid of urine is derived from 

 the blood, into which it passes, by absorption from the saliva by the 

 alimentary canal, for when he diverted the secretion from the alimen- 

 tary canal by establishing salivary fistulas he failed to detect a 

 sulphocyanide in the blood and urine. 



Dr Fen wick 4 , who has paid much attention to the variation in the 

 amount of sulphocyanic acid in the saliva, believes that the salt is a 

 product, and so indirectly affords evidence, of the nitrogenous meta- 

 bolism of the organism, and that its amount diminishes, under con- 

 ditions in which the activity of the nutritive functions is diminished. 

 He considers, though on evidence which is indirect and unsatisfactory, 

 that the sulphocyanic acid of the saliva is genetically related to the 

 organic sulphur compound of the bile, an opinion which he bases 

 especially on the statement that whenever the bile is prevented from 

 reaching the alimentary canal, the sulphocyanide of the saliva dis- 

 appears. It appears desirable that the statement of Fenwick should 

 be controlled by observations on animals in which biliary fistula have 

 been successfully established. 



Presence of By the direct addition of Nessler's reagent, traces of 



ammonia in ammon i a can readily be detected in saliva 5 , 

 saliva. 



Presence of According to Peter Griess 6 saliva always contains 



nitrites in nitrites which may be detected by means of a solution 

 saliva. O f meta-diamidobenzol. 



1 Leared, ' On the presence of sulphocyanides in the blood and urine.' Proceedings 

 of the Eoyal Society, Vol. 18 (1870), p. 16. 



2 Gscheidlen, 'Ueber das constante Vorkommen einer Schwefelcyanverbindung 

 im Harn der Saugethiere.' Pfliiger's Archiv, Vol. 14 (1877), pp. 401412. 



3 T. Munk, VUeber das Vorkommen von Sulfocyansaure im Harn und ihre quanti- 

 tativen Verbal tnisse.' Virchow's Archiv. 



4 Fenwick, The Saliva as a test for functional Disorders of the Liver. 8vo. London, 

 1889. 



5 Maly, Hermann's Handbuch, Vol. v. Part ii. p. 8. 



6 P. Griess, Ber. d. d. chem. GeselL, Vol. n. p. 624. 



