29 



addition, a few drops of liquor iodi comp. (Lugol's solu- 

 tion) which makes the threads or bands of mucin visible. 



Indican or Indoxyl. This substance is derived from indol, 

 one of the putrefactive products formed in the intestine. Indoxyl 

 occurs in very small quantities in normal human urine, about 

 .004 to .020 gram for the 24 hours. Horse's urine is said to con- 

 tain 23 times as much. The intestines of the herbivora are much 

 longer than in the ease of the carnivora. On this account, and in 

 conjunction with the carbohydrate diet, a much greater fermen- 

 tation occurs, which leads to a greater elimination of indican in 

 the urine. 



In obstruction of the intestine, or in intestinal catarrh or 

 where the food remains a long time in the intestine and ferments 

 there, the proportion of indican increases in the urine and causes 

 a true indicanuria. Indoxyl is of considerable clinical import- 

 ance, an increase is indicative of imperfect performance of the 

 digestive processes. In obstructive diseases of the small intestine 

 the increase of indoxyl in the urine is enormous. 



Pathologically indoxyl is increased in cholera, typhoid fever, 

 peritonitis, dysentery, Addison's disease, cancer of the liver and 

 stomach and pernicious anemia.- 



^ Jaffe's Test ■ To a. little urine add an equal volume 

 of strong hydrochloric acid. Add to this mixture 2 or 3 

 drops of a solution of freshly prepared, chlorinated soda. 

 There soon forms a bluish cloud of indigo. Add a little 

 chloroform and shake gently, this will take the indigo into 

 solution and settle as a blue layer at the bottom of the test 

 tube. The amount of indoxyl can be judged by the depth 

 of the blue color. Indican is oxidized by free chlorine ob- 

 tained from the chlorinated soda to indigo. 



The Hydrochloric acid— Ferric Chloride Test. (Ober- 

 mayer's Keagent). This reagent has the advantage of 

 keeping indefinitely. It is prepared by dissolving 2 grams 

 of' solid ferric chloride in 500 cc. of concentrated hydro- 

 chloric acid. (Sp. gr. 1.19). 



To equal parts of urine and the above reagent add a 

 little chloroform. Shake frequently but not too violently 

 (otherwise an emulsion may be formed). The chloroform 



