466 CHEMISTRY OF THE LEUCOMAINS. 



The criticisms on these older examinations apply with equal force 

 to many of the more recent investigations of the urine in disease. 

 Thus, Chiaruttini applied Spica's method for the extraction of pto- 

 mains to the urine of various nervous diseases with convulsions. In 

 twelve cases alkaloids were obtained which produced similar toxic 

 effects in animals. Arslan from the urine of two children with anky- 

 lostomiasis separated a toxin that induced anaemia in rabbits. Boinet 

 and Silberet isolated three bases from the urine of Basedow's disease 

 that in animals produced effects similar to those observed in the 

 disease. Marino-Zuco believed that the poisonous action of extract 

 of the adrenals, as observed by Foa and Pellacani, was due to cholin 

 (neurin of Marino-Zuco). With Dutto, he found in the urine of 

 Addison's disease a base which behaved with reagents like cholin. 

 They therefore considered the disease as a slow auto-intoxication with 

 this base. It may be mentioned in this connection that eclampsia is 

 considered by Favre as a ptomai'nsemia, whereas Bouchard regards it 

 as due to the non-elimination of the normal poisons of the urine. 

 There is more reason, however, in considering it as due to perverted 

 cell metabolism, just as the varnishing of a part or the whole of the 

 skin results, as Kijanitzin has pointed out, in the alteration of the 

 chemical products of the underlying cells. The same author showed 

 that in extensive skin-burns the urine, as well as the blood and 

 organs, contains a basic poisonous substance, presumably peptotoxin 

 (see page 328). 



While there may be doubt as to the formation of a basic poison in 

 profound skin-burns, there can be no doubt from the pathological 

 changes as observed by Bardeen and by McCrae ' that toxins, not 

 unlike those of bacterial origin, are produced. The destruction of 

 hemoglobin may lead to the production of histon which as already 

 pointed out possesses marked poisonous properties. 



In 1889 Luff examined the urine of infectious diseases for basic 

 products by the following method : A large quantity of the urine 

 was rendered alkaline with sodium carbonate, and agiteted with one- 

 half its volume of ether. After standing for some time the ether 

 was removed, filtered, and then agitated with a solution of tartaric 

 acid, to remove the alkaloids as soluble tartrates. The aqueous acid 

 solution was then rendered alkaline with sodium carbonate, and agi- 

 tated with one-half its volume of ether. The ether was removed, 

 allowed to evaporate spontaneously, and the residue, after drying 

 over sulphuric acid, was examined for alkaloids. 



The urine of typhoid fever, collected during a high fever for four 

 days, gave a small quantity of a white crystalline substance. When 

 dissolved in hydrochloric acid it gave reactions with phosphomolyb- 

 dic acid, potassium mercuric iodid, iodin solution, tannic and picric 

 acids, and gold chlorid ; failed to react with phosphotungstic acid 

 ' Trrnia. Assoc. Am. Phys., 16, 153. 



