320 



Scientific Proceedings (130) 



156 (2116) 



The globulin and albumin content of the plasma in nephritis. 

 By G. C. UNDER, C. LUNDSGAARD, and D. D. VAN SLYKE. 



[From the Hospital of The Rockefeller Institute for Medical 

 Research, New York City.] 



Bright and a number of subsequent observers have described a 

 diminution of proteins in the plasma of some persons suffering 

 from albuminuria and edema; and later it has also been found 

 that the decrease occurs chiefly in the plasma albumin (Epstein) 

 the globulin not being diminished. 



We have determined the albumin and globulin over varying 

 periods of time in the plasmas of a number of nephritics by the 

 recent method of Howe, with the results indicated below. The 

 cases were classified as glomerular nephritis, nephrosis, and 

 nephrosclerosis according to Volhard and Fahr. 





Type of Nephritis. 



Glomerular 

 nephritis. 



Nephrosis. 



Nephro- 

 sclerosis. 



Functional 

 albuminuria 



Number of cases 



13 



2 



3 



2 



Cases with low total 











plasma protein (3.5 











to 5.5 per cent.) 



10 



1 



0 



0 



Cases with normal 











plasma protein (6 











to 7 per cent.) 



3 



1 



3 



2 



Cases with low albu- 











min /globulin ratio 











(below 1.4) 



12 



2 



0 



1 



In glomerular nephritis a return to a normal total protein con- 

 tent has been observed in some cases, but a return to a normal 

 albumin : globulin ratio has not yet been observed in any of 

 our cases. 



In one typical nephrosis patient a great loss of edema was 

 observed without any change in plasma proteins, but after the 

 edema had disappeared the total proteins began to rise towards 

 the normal. The case of nephrosis with normal total content at 

 the first examination was already convalescent. 



