THE SOURCE OF THE AMNIOTIC AND ALLANTOIC FLUIDS IN MAMMALS. 



89 



They show that the amount of protein varies little throughout the greater part of 

 pregnancy. 



According to Doderlein's observations on the cow, the amount of proteins in both 

 fluids rises throughout pregnancy in the amniotic from '042 to "45, and in the allantoic 

 from 0-3 to V37. 



In the dog, six weeks pregnant with embryos of 35 grms., the allantoic fluid was free 

 of proteins, but the amniotic contained distinct amounts of native proteins amounting to 

 *06 per cent. 



In another dog, said to be seven weeks pregnant, and with foetuses averaging 100 

 grms. in weight, a mere trace of protein was found in the allantoic fluid, while a very 

 distinct amount was present in the amniotic. 



In the pig's uterus at various stages of pregnancy both amniotic and allantoic 

 fluids contained native proteins, the former 0*495 per cent., the latter 0*563 percent. 



The proportion of albumin and globulin was determined in four cases in the sheep : — 



TABLE F. 

 Proportion of Albumin and Globulin in Allantoic Fluid. 



Numbers of 

 Fluids mixed. 



"Weight of Foetuses, 

 grms. 



Total Protein. 



Per cent, of 

 Albumin. 



Globulin 



A 

 G" 



3 

 5 

 % 



1 



40 to 50 



300 to 500 



500 to 600 



600 



•335 

 ■610 

 ■380 

 •265 



•268 

 •460 

 •283 

 •235 



•067 

 •150 

 •097 

 •040 



4 

 3 

 3 



5 



The fact that coagulable proteins do not exist in the amniotic fluid of the sheep 

 seems to oppose the view that it is formed as a transudation from blood-vessels, because, 

 so far as we at present know, all such transudations contain the proteins of the blood- 

 plasma. 



On the other hand, their presence in the allantoic fluid of the sheep, and in both 

 fluids in the other animals observed, does not oppose the view that these fluids are 

 formed in the kidneys. 



The opportunity of examining foetal urine is not often afforded, because the bladder 

 is generally empty. Doderlein (op. cit., p. 155) gives two analyses, one of the urine of a 

 foetus of 15,000 grms. and another of a newly-born calf. In the first there was 0'33 per 

 cent., in the second 0*18 per cent., of proteins. In the urine of two foetal sheep, one of 

 1505 grms. and one of 1630 grms. — nearly full time — we found coagulable proteins 

 present. This is confirmatory of the old observations of Dzardi in 1806, that alcohol 

 causes a white gelatinous precipitate in the urine of the new-born calf, and of those of 

 Virchow, Martin Ruge and Biedermann, and of Dohrn in the new-born child (quoted 

 by Doderlein, loc. cit., p. 172). Jacque (loc. cit.) also records the presence of albumin 

 in the urine of foetal sheep. 



