NATURE 



\Jtme 24, 1880 



tinued), by 1. L. Sclio^m. — On a new simple condensation- 

 hv"rometer, by A. Matem. — On a general proposition of Herr 

 Clausius in reference to electric induction, by G. J. Legebeke. — 

 On an optical illusion in looking at geometrical figures, by W. 



pioitz. Reflection and refraction of light on spherical surface?, 



supposing finite angle of incidence, by F. Lippich. 



American Journal of Science, May. — Outlet of Lake Bonne- 

 ville, by G. K. Gilbert. — Chemical and geological relations of the 

 atmosphere, by T. Sterry Hunt. — Archxan rocks of Wahsatch 

 ]\I jimtains, by A. Geikie. — Apatites containing manganese, by 

 S. L. Tenfield. — New meteorite in Cleberne co., Alabama, by 

 W. E. Hidden. — On the recent formation of quartz and on 

 silicification in California, by T. .S. Hunt. — The Uranometria 

 argentina, by H. A. Newton. — The Ivanpah, California, mete- 

 oric iron, by C. U. Shephard. — The atomic weight of antimony 

 (preliminary notice of additional experiments), by J. P. Cooke. 

 — Daubree's experimental geology, by J. Lawrence Smith. — 

 Bavtnasite and Tysor.ite from Colorado, by O. D. Allen and W. 

 J. Comstock. — On argento-antimonious tartrate (silver emetic), 

 by J. P. Cooke. — The sternum in Dinosaurian reptiles, by O. 

 C. Marsh. — On the sinthern comet of February, 1880, by B A. 

 Gould . 



Proceedings of the Bushn Society of Natural History, vol. xx., 

 part 3 (publi.'-hed April). — Dr. Sam. Kneeland, the mineralised 

 phosphatic guanos of the equatorial Pacific Islands ; on the 

 frozen well at Decorah, Iowa. — Prof. Brewer, additional notes 

 on his lists of New England birds ; catalogue of humming-birds 

 in the Society's collection (only commencement). — Prof, Shaler, 

 on the submarine coast shelf. — Dr. Wadsworth, on danalite 

 from the iron-mine, Bartlett, N.H. ; on picrolite from a serpen- 

 tine quarry in Florida, with analysis by W. H. Melville. — J. 

 H. Huntington, on the iron ore of Bartlett, N.H. — Dr. Fewkes, 

 on R/iizopkysa filifortnis, with a plate ; on the tubes in the 

 larger nectocalyx of Abyla pentagons, with a plate. — Prof. E. 

 Morse, on the antiquities of Japan. — F. W. Putnam, on cham- 

 bered mounds in Missouri ; on some explorations in Tennessee, 

 with remarks on some bones of N. E. Indians ; on the ornamen- 

 tation of some aboriginal American pottery. — Dr. Hagen, on a 

 new species of Simulium with a remarkable Nympha-case — W. 

 O. Crosby, on evidences of compression in the rocks of the 

 Boston basin. — Dr. W. K. Brookes, development of the diges- 

 tive tract in molluscs. — S. H. Scudder, probable age of Haulover 

 Beach, Nantucket Harbour. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 

 London 



Royal Society, May 27 — " On the Relation of the Urea to 

 the Total Nitrogen of the Urine in Disease," by W. J. Russell, 

 Ph.D., F.R.S., and Samuel West, M.B., Oxon. 



In the valuable series of papers upon the excretion of urea, 

 communicated by Prof. Parkes to the Royal Society, he showed 

 that in health 90 per cent, of the nitrogen in the urine was 

 eliminated in the form of urea. It seemed to us of considerable 

 interest and importance to ascertain whether in disease this 

 statement still held good, or whether, as indeed seemed probable, 

 uader altered conditions, nitrogen mi^ht not be excreted in some 

 other form. With the view of determining this point, the 

 following experiments were undertaken. 



The cases upon which the observations were made fall into 

 two gi-oups — the first, a series taken at random from the hospital, 

 the patients suffering from various diseases, and being under 

 various conditions as regarded diet, muscular exertion, &c. In 

 the second series, the patients were healthy, and placed under 

 conditions as far as possible constant, the amount of diet being 

 fixed, and the patients at absolute rest. 



The first series, consisting of twenty-three observations, falls 

 iato several small group=. The relation of the urea-nitrogen to 

 the total nitrogen wa=, in all cases, calculated out in percentage 

 amounts (the total nitrogen being taken as 100), and the mean of 

 each group of observations given. 



The first group consists of six cases of pneumonia, and in 

 these the urea-nitrogen represents 90 per cent, of the total 

 nitrogen. 



The second, of two cases of jaundice, with two determinations 

 in each. The mean of the first giving 857 per cent. ; of the 

 second 90'2 per cent. 



The third, of two cases of albuminuria, in which the mean is 

 86 per cent. In these observations the albumen was previously 



precipitated and removed. In a third case the determination 

 was made \^ithout previously removing the albumen. In this 

 latter, the percentage was ()y6. 



The fourth group consists of a collection of cases of various 

 kinds. One of pyrcmia, one of typhoid fever, rheumatic fever, 

 acute dysentery, pleurisy, hepatic abscess, and leucocytb.xmia, 

 two of erysipelas, and two of diabetes, making eleven in all. 

 The mean percentage of them all is 93'8. 



The lowest percentage in this first series is found in the cases 

 of albuminuria and of jaundice, a fact of interest as bearing 

 upon the place of production of urea. 



The second series consists of eighteen determinations made 

 upon three cases, in which the diet was fixed and the patient in 

 a condition of absolute rest. 



These give a mean of 90" l per cent. The mean of all the 

 cases in the two series is 89*3, or, if the cases of albuminuria 

 and jaundice be excluded, 9 [•3 per cent., and this agrees almost 

 exactly with the results of Prof. Parkes' experiments, inw'hich 

 the mean arrived at is 9 1 per cent. 



We may therefore assume that the urea-nitrogen may be taken 

 as the measure of the total nitrogen, and that this may be 

 approximately determined by adding 10 per cent, to the amount 

 of urea-nitrogen. 



This is, however, only true if the mean of a large number of 

 observations be taken, for there is no fixed relation betueen, on 

 the one hand, the amount of the urine and the amount of the 

 solids in it, or on the other, between the amount of the various 

 solids inter se. 



The result, then, of our observations is to prove that the 

 chemistry of the urine remains essentially the same in disease as 

 in health, and that the generalisation of Prof. Parkes is true in 

 either case. The urea may therefore be safely regarded as the 

 measure of the total nitrogen, and as forming 90 per cent, of it. 



"On the amount of Nitrogen excreted by Man at rest," by 

 Samuel West, M.B. Oxon, and W. J. Russell, Ph.D., F.R.S. 



The three patients, the subjects of this investigation, were all 

 placed under the conditions of the most absolute rest, not being 

 allowed to sit up in bed, or even indeed to feed themselves. 

 Their diet was reduced till it was found that their health was 

 suffering, and then increased until a condition was reached, 

 which may be called one of "clinical equilibrimn," when the 

 health, so far as could be determined clinically, was perfect. 



The patients were all suffering from the same affection, viz., 

 aneurism, a diseae which produces mechanical rather than 

 constitutional symptoms, and in these cases, so long as the 

 treat)i)ent was carried on, produced no symptoms at all, so that 

 for all practical purposes the patients may be regarded as healthy 

 men. 



The condition of clinical equilibrium being reached, the 

 amount of nitrogen in the food was determined by direct 

 analysis. 



In two of the cases the diet consisted of 10 ozs. of solids and 

 10 ozs. of liquids. 



By calculation from Parkes' tables, this should yield 6'3 grms. 

 of nitrogen. Analysis gave a somewhat higher number : in the 

 first determination 7*07, and in the second 6'9S. 



In the third case the diet was S ozs. of solids and 8 ozs. of 

 liquids, distributed in the same proportion. This by calculation 

 from the preceding analysis should give about 5 "6 grms. cf 

 nitrogen. 



Comparing now the amount of nitrogen ingested in the food 

 with the amount obtained from the urine, we find : — 



Nitrogen ingested. Nitrogen in urine. 



Case 1 70 ••■ S-6 



„ II TO ... 8-64 



,, III 5-6 ... 6-4 



In all the cases the amount in the urine is in slight excess of 

 that in the food, so that we may fairly regard all the nitrogen 

 here obtained as representing tissue waste, for there was no 

 surplus in the food to inci^ase the amount in the urine. 



We obtain as the mean of these three ca<es ^ — 3 = 7'87, cr 



approximately 8 grms., which we therefore are justified in 

 regarding as the minimum amount of nitrogen a healtliy adult 

 man excretes per diem. This is equivalent to 17 grms., or 260 

 grains of urea. 



It is interesting to compare with these observations the results 

 obtained by the other methods of the investigalion above 

 referred to. 



Ranke repeated upon man thejexperiments which Bischoff and 



