152 



DIASTATIC ACTIVITY IN BLOOD AND URINE. 



It will be noted that if due allowance is made for variations due to 

 polyuria, the figure obtained from these normal individuals examined for the 

 diastatic concentration factor lies between 15 and 40. 



Table VIII. 



1. 

 2. 

 3. 



4. 



5. 



6. 



7. 



8. 



9. 

 •10. 

 11. 

 12. 

 13. 

 14. 

 16. 

 16. 

 17. 

 18. 



110 



65 



175 



115 



80 



155 



125 



90 



275 



240 



55 



35 



130 



75 



110 



160 



70 



70 



Amount of urine during two hours. 



„ (usually passes large quantity). 



polyuria. 



SUMMARY OF RESULTS. 



Healthy Subjects. 



I. Diurnal variations in the urine. — The urine secreted during the night has 

 generally a higher diastatic activity than that secreted during the day. The 

 diastatic activity of the urine secreted during the day varies inversely, as a 

 rule, with the rate of excretion, and directly to a certain extent with the 

 specific gravity. The total diastatic activity of the urine (amount in c.c. X 

 diastatic index) for the 24 hours gives numbers only approximately constant 

 in the same individual. The total diastatic activity of specimens of urine 

 examined hourly after a meal is highest in the period of the second to the 

 fifth hour. Thereafter the value tends to fall. 



II. Variations in the blood. — The blood diastase when examined by Fyfe's 

 method exhibits well-marked variations apparently related to the ingestion of 

 food. 



The level is lower in the period from the third or fourth hour to the 

 seventh or eighth hour after a meal than it is after fasting or shortly after 

 a meal. 



III. Variations in the diastatic concentration factor. — In the same individual 

 this varies throughout the day, being highest, as a rule, in the urine secreted 

 overnight or in urine secreted during the fasting condition. 



IV. The figures obtained for the period 2-4 hours after a meal in healthy 

 individuals : (1) Blood diastase. — In the majority the figure obtained lies 

 between 6 and 10, with outside limits of from 3 (exceptionally) to 11 or 12, 



