XIV 



MISCELLANEOUS BIOCHEMICAL REACTIONS 



ABDERHALDEN'S BIOLOGICAL TEST FOR PREGNANCY— 

 SERO-ENZYME TEST FOR SYPHILIS— ABDERHALDEN- 

 FAUSER REACTION IN MENTAL DISEASES— MEIOSTAG- 

 MIN REACTION— EPIPHANIN REACTION 



Abderhalden*s Biological Test for Pregnancy 

 This biological test belongs to a class of newer 

 serum reactions. It has been found by Abderhalden 

 of Halle that foreign proteins entering the blood pro- 

 duce specific protein-splitting enzymes. In preg- 

 nancy, Abderhalden assumes that the placenta gives 

 off a protein which causes the production of a specific 

 enzyme in the blood which is capable of splitting up 

 the placental protein with the formation of peptone 

 and amino-acids. The test consists therefore of incu- 

 bating the serum of a suspected pregnant woman 

 with placental material, and then testing the fluid for 

 the end products of protein digestion. Two methods 

 are employed in the detection of these substances, first 

 the dialysis metJiod, in which the presence of dialyz- 

 able peptones are tested for at the end of the incuba- 

 tion by means of certain color reactions; and second 

 the optical method, in which the end products of pro- 

 tein digestion are detected by means of the polariscope. 

 A brief outline of the technic of the dialysis 



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