482 JACOB KOSENBLOOM 



they found 0.722 gram of the corresponding dibenzoate in the urine 

 and 0.165 gram in the feces. 



Loewy and N"euberg(a)(6) carried out experiments in which they did 

 not give the poisonous diamins but the corresponding diamino acids to a 

 cystinuria patient. After lysin feeding pentamethylendiamin appeared 

 in the urine, after arginin tetramethylendiamin. Neither base was dis- 

 coverable in the feces. To be sure, these oral feedings do not exclude 

 that a bacterial origin of the diamins from the diamino. acids takes 

 place in the digestive canal. Formation through microorganisms is, how- 

 ever, quite improbable in view of the fact that their long observed case 

 of cystinuria had hitherto proceeded without diaminuria. 



According to all appearances, diaminuria is like cystinuria a con- 

 stitutional anomaly to which no significance pertains. That, however, 

 does not hold without qualification for the formation of diamins through 

 the special action of bacteria. The diamins are not altogether innocuous 

 (Pohl) and as Pohl(c) has also shown it is to be remembered that certain 

 syntheses, such as the formation of paired glycuronic acids and of hippuric 

 acid may be inhibited through diamins. Contrary to the old assumption 

 of Baumann and Udransky, the form in which diamins appear in the 

 body, whether as free bases or as salts, appears to be without significance 

 (Koos(a)(6)). 



It is to be recommended that future investigations should distinguish 

 strictly between chronic excretion of bases and the diaminuria caused 

 by infectious diseases. Also that they should be observant of .properties 

 which might pertain to pyrazin, to spermin and to the base of the Leyden- 

 Charcot crystals (Kikkoji and Neuberg). 



Diaminuria is harmless and has no practical clinical significance. It 

 presents no symptoms and is diagnosed only by the chemical isolation 

 of the substances from the urine and feces. 



