360 EDEMA 



globulin (with a trace of proteose ( ?)), and 0.05-0.13 per cent, of a 

 reducing- substance that is proba])ly <«-lucose,''^' which is decreased in 

 acute suppurative meningeal intlannnation (Jacob).'"' Halliburton 

 gives the following analyses of pathological accumulations of such 

 fluids : 



Table VI. (Spina bifida.) 



Case 1 Case 2 Case 3 



Water 989.75 989.877 991.6.5S 



Solids 10.25 10.123 8.342 



Proteins 0.S42 1.(502 0.199 



Salts ) . . . . f.f..^f. ( 0.631 3.02S 



Extractives i . . . . '^- " * 7.890 5.115 



The percentage of solids in spina bifida is thus a little higher than 

 in normal meningeal fluids. In hydrocephalus the percentage of solids 

 is rather greater, as seen in Table VII. 



T.\.DLE VII. (Hydrocephalus.) 



Case 1 Case 2 Case 3 



Water 986.78 984.59 980.77 



Solids 13.22 15.41 19.23 



Proteins and extractives . . 3.74 6.49 11.35 



Salts 9.48 8.92 7.88 



Normal cerebrospinal fluid seems to be hypertonic to the serum of 

 the same animal,**' and slightly more alkaline than the blood.**^ In 

 meningitis the alkalinity is often lowered.''*'' According to Fuchs and 

 Kosenthal,-*" the average freezing-point of the cerebrospinal fluid is 

 loW'Cred about the same in all diseases (A = — 0.52° to — 0.54°) ex- 

 cept in tuberculous meningitis, wdiere it is much less (average — 0.43°). 

 The amount of potassium is about the same as in the blood/ and not 

 increased in degenerative diseases of the central nervous system ; ^°- 

 after death the amount is much increased by post-mortem changes. 

 Calcium is almost constant at 5 mg. per 100 c.c, or about one-half as 

 much as in the plasma.^" In diseases associated with destruction of 

 brain tissue, such as general paralysis and epilepsy, choline or some 

 other base - may be found in the spinal fluid. (See "Choline," Chap. 

 iv.) Under pathological conditions the amount of protein varies 

 greatly and to some extent characteristically. Thus, in syphilis the 

 euglobulin is so greatly- increased that it is readily identified by 



95 Schloss and Schroeder, Amer. Jour. Dis. Child.. 191(1 (11), 1; Hopkins, 

 Amer. .Jour. Med. Sci., 1915 (150), 847. 

 no Brit. :Mcd. .lour., 1912, Oct. 26. 



07 Ravaut, Presse nied., 1900 (8), 128; Zanier, Cent. f. Phvsiol., 1896 (10), 353. 

 98Hur\vitz and Tranter, Arch. Int. Med., 1916 (17), 828. ' 

 n«aLevinson, Arch. Pediatri'-^. 1916 (33), 241. 

 onWien. med. Presse, 1904 (4.H. 2081 and 2135. 



1 Mvers, Jour. Biol. Cheni.. PHi'.l (6), 115. literiilure. 



la Pvosenhloom and Andrews. Arch. Int. ^Med., 1914 (14), 536. 

 ih llalvcrson and IJerfrciin, .lour. Biol. Cli.'in., 1917 (29), 337. 



2 Kaufmann, Zeit. piiyniol. ("hem., 1910 IM)), 343; Lai,i:nel-Liivastiiu> and 

 Lasusse, Compt. Rend. Soc. Biol.. 1910 (OS), 803. 



