METABOLISM IN NEPHRITIS 



315 



majority of cases. There are, however, certain symptoms and crises oc- 

 curring in the course of some cases of nephritis that lead to the conclusion 

 that, for brief periods at least, protein metabolism may be profoundly dis- 

 turbed. These changes will be discussed under the headings of serum 

 proteins, creatin and protein destruction. The significance of such per- 

 versions of protein metabolism is very difficult to decide. It is probable 

 that all of them are the signs of a disturbance elsewhere in the body; in 

 other words, that they are extrarenal in origin. 



The Serum Proteins. The serum proteins in nephritis have been in- 

 vestigated in regard to these points: Variations in the quantity of the 

 total proteins, albumin and globulin, and changes in the albumin : globulin 

 ratio. Some of the results obtained are contained in the following table : 



TABLE 1 



CHANGES OCCURRING IN THE SEBUM PROTEINS IN NEPHRITIS ACCORDING TO VARIOUS 



OBSERVERS 



Bowe(6)(c) quotes former investigators and adds his own experience 

 to show that in a general way in chronic diseases the blood serum protein 

 and its albumin fraction are diminished while the globulin is increased; 

 nephritis follows this rule. However, "No characteristic values for serum 

 proteins which might aid in the clinical diagnosis of the type of kidney 

 lesion were found." Nephritic edema proved to be accompanied by a low 

 protein content in the serum; in cases of cardiac decompensation and 

 edema, the serum proteins were not depressed to the same degree. Kahn 

 (c) was unable to demonstrate a change of serum proteins in any form of 



