HEKMAN O. MOSENTHAL 



Munk, after adding 10 grams of salt to the diet of a patient, found 

 that the urine volume dropped from 1550 to 750 c.c. and the sodium 

 chlorid elimination from 8.2 grams to 3.1 grams. The author has seen 

 such a paradoxical effect on several occasions. The reciprocal relation 

 between urea and sodium chlorid noted by Zondek(6) is very interesting; 

 on giving urea the sodium chlorid excretion diminished and vice versa (see 

 Table 26). 



TABLE 26 



THE INGESTION OF UBEA MAY RESULT IN A DEPRESSION OF SALT EXCRETION AND VICE 



VERSA. ( Zondek ( b ) ) 



It becomes obvious that the tests for salt and urea excretion as pro- 

 posed are cumbersome, are a severe strain upon the patient, and do not 

 yield clear cut results. They may be of interest and value especially from 

 the pathologico-physiological point of view, but they do not yield the 

 information which blood chemistry does in regard to the ability of the 

 kidney to keep the body clear of waste products, nor do they furnish as 

 good data as the test day for renal function concerning the mode of ex- 

 cretion of urea or sodium chlorid. 



Test Day for Renal Function 



This procedure has been variously called the nephritic test meal, test 

 meal for renal function, two hour renal test or two hour test. Inasmuch 

 as no set diet is required and the specimens of urine need not be collected 

 in two hour intervals, the author has preferred to resort to the name of 

 test day for renal function. As this method of observation has been de- 

 veloped it has come to include an estimation 'of the adequacy and suit- 

 ability of the patient's habitual food and fluid intake to his needs and their 

 effect upon the kidneys. Therefore it is believed that the term test day 

 for renal function meets the situation better than the others mentioned 

 above. 



