SULPHUROUS ACID AND SULPHITES. 825 



of albumin are all negative with the exception of that for the third 

 preservative subperiod, when a very minute trace is reported. Nos. 

 9 and 10 are negative throughout. No. 11 is negative until the third 

 preservative subperiod is reached, when a very minute trace is 

 recorded, which continues throughout the remaining periods of 

 observation . with the exception of one negative result in the after 

 period. No. 12 is negative until the fourth preservative subperiod, 

 when a minute trace is reported, which continues throughout the 

 after period. 



These limited data are not sufficiently decisive to establish any 

 general effect as produced by the preservative, and further studies 

 were made of this point in the special series, as before mentioned, 

 where the same contradictory evidence is furnished by the data 

 obtained for five men, which precludes the drawing of any positive 

 conclusion in regard to the production of albumin in the urine by this 

 preservative. In the cases of Nos. 1, 3, 11, and 12 of Series VII, 

 however, a slight tendency is shown on the part of the sulphurous 

 acid, whether combined as a sulphite or in a free state, to develop 

 albumin in the urine when it is not present. 



In the special Series XIII before mentioned (see Table VI) the 

 question of the influence of the preservative on the acidity of the 

 urine is considered. 



The acidity is expressed as cubic centimeters of tenth-normal 

 sodium hydroxid per 100 cc of urine, and the number of acid and 

 amphoteric reactions obtained with litmus paper is also given. With 

 the exception of No. 4, an increase in acidity is shown in every case 

 throughout the preservative period. Summarizing the average 

 figures according to the form of preservative administered, it is seen 

 that for those receiving sodium sulphite the acidity in the fore period 

 is expressed by 28.1 and for the preservative period by 42.1. There 

 is also a marked increase shown by the reactions obtained by testing 

 with litmus paper, 33 per cent of the tests being acid in the fore 

 period and 93 per cent in the preservative period. 



In the case of Nos. 4, 5, and 6, who received sulphurous acid, a 

 slight increase is also shown, from 30 in the fore period to 32.7 during 

 the preservative period. The litmus-paper tests show an increase in 

 these cases also, from 83 to 98 per cent. Considering the set of sub- 

 jects together, it is seen that as an average 29.1 cc of tenth-normal 

 sodium hydroxid were required to neutralize 100 cc of urine during 

 the fore period and 37.4 cc during the preservative period. Lit- 

 mus paper gives an acid reaction in 58 per cent of the tests during 

 the fore period and in 96 per cent in the preservative period. 



There is evidenced a strong tendency to render the urine acid, which 

 tendency is much more marked when sodium sulphite was adminis- 

 tered. This subject is further discussed under Series XI, page 1021. 



