EXCRETION 325 



Normal urine, as we have seen, affords a basis for 

 the estimation of nitrogenous metabolism. Abnormal- 

 ities in the working of the body are often registered 

 by this secretion. The significance of sugar has been 

 dwelt upon but may here be restated briefly. A transient 

 occurrence may result from eating much sugar and is 

 not a sign of disease. If sugar is often present and in 

 some quantity the suggestion is that the body lacks 

 the full power to oxidize this food. Under such circum- 

 stances the reduction of carbohydrate in the diet for 

 a while is often beneficial. In fully developed diabetes 

 little or no sugar is oxidized and glycosuria is continuous. 

 Not only the dextrose formed from the carbohydrates 

 of the food, but much that is attributed to protein 

 sources then comes to light. 



Emotional Glycosuria. It has lately been shown that 

 sugar may be found in the urine of entirely healthy 

 subjects after an emotional strain. This has been 

 noted, for example, in students who have taken hard 

 examinations and in athletes who have either played 

 in crucial games or waited to be called on as substitutes. 

 The relation between the nervous system and the 

 observed result is somewhat indirect and may be re- 

 ferred to later on. For the present purpose it may be 

 said that during excitement influences are brought to 

 bear upon the liver cells which lead to the transformation 

 of much glycogen into sugar. This newly formed sugar 

 enters the circulation creating a condition of hyper- 

 glycemia which, as we have already learned, will cause 

 some leakage of sugar through the kidney substance. 



In the urine of the diabetic there will be found, in 

 advanced cases, not only sugar but an overflow of" the 

 acid products of an imperfect fat metabolism. These 

 poisons are collectively known as the acetone bodies. 

 Protein itself (albumin) frequently makes its appearance 

 in the urine and is often, though not by any means 

 always, associated with disease of the kidneys. Let 

 it be repeated that diabetes is not a kidney disorder 



