1867.] 



Extractive Matters of Urine. — Part I. 



75 



due to an admixture of blood, bile, or miik, causing the urine to assume 

 various shades of red, green, or white. The latter, as well as those which 

 make their appearance in consequence of the administration of certain 

 drugs, I leave entirely out of consideration. The others, or those peculiar 

 to urine, may be conveniently divided, according to their colour, into three 

 classes, viz., blue, purple or red, and black or brown colouring-matters. 



The appearance of a blue colouring-matter in urine has been frequently 

 observed both in ancient and modern times. Cases of its occurrence have 

 been recorded by Janus Plancus *, Delens f, Spangenberg X, Prout §, 

 Simon II, Braconnot % Julia-Fontenelle Cantuff, Pteinseh|1:, and Du 

 Menil §§. In all these cases the urine yielded a deposit varying in colour 

 from slate-grey to light blue, or even dark blue, consisting of a blue colour- 

 ing-matter generally mixed with earthy phosphates. The colouring- 

 matter, after being separated from the impurities with which it was con- 

 taminated, was in most of these cases found to have so many properties in 

 common with indigo-blue that several observers, such as Prout and Simon, 

 seemed to have no doubts concerning its identity with the latter. It was, 

 for instance, insoluble in water, but somewhat soluble in alcohol and ether. 

 It was destroyed by nitric acid, but was not affected by other acids, except 

 concentrated sulphuric acid, with which it yielded a blue solution. It was 

 not dissolved by alkalies, except when some reducing agent, such as grape- 

 sugar, was added at the same time. It then dissolved, but was again de- 

 posited from the solution on exposure to the air. On being heated, it 

 yielded a violet-coloured vapour. Julia-Pontenelle and Cantu, however, 

 maintain that the colour in the cases examined by them was due to prus- 

 sian blue; and Angelini || || suggests that it may possibly be ascribed to 

 phosphate of iron. Lastly, Braconuot has described a blue colouring- 

 matter obtained from urine, which, if his observations are correct, differs 

 entirely from all other pigments derived from the same source. Like 

 indigo-blue it was insoluble in water and alkahes, and only slightly soluble 

 in boiling alcohol ; but, on the other hand, it dissolved with ease in dilute 

 acids, forming solutions of a brownish-yellow colour, which, on the addi- 

 tion of an excess of acid, assumed a brilliant red tint. From its solution 

 in acid it was precipitated by alkalies and alkahne earths. To this colour- 

 ing-matter Braconnot gave the name of cyaiioiirine. Since his time, how- 



Commentani Instituti Bononiensi ad ann. 1767. 

 t Scliweigger's Journal f. Physik u. Chemie, B. xxiii, S. 262. 

 .t Ibid, B. xlvii. S. 487. 



§ On Stomach and Renal Diseases, 5fcli ed., p. 567. 



II Simon's Animal Chemistry, translated by Day, vol. ii. ])p. 274 & 327. 



% Annales de Chimio et de Physique, t. xxix. p. 252. 



Archives generales de Medecine, t. ii. p. 104. 

 ft Memoires de 1' Academic Royal de Turin. 

 X\ Jabrbuch f. Pract. Pharm., B. viii. S. 93. 

 §§ Archiv d. Pharm., B. xxxix. S. 48. 

 II 11 Giorn. di Fisiea, Dec. II. t. viii. (1825). 



g2 



