16 



Scientific Proceedings (86). 



ing glucose ingestion also to determine the presence and amount 

 of sugar voided in the urine during these determinations and in 

 the complete twenty-four-hour specimen. 



Glycosuria, which is normally absent under the conditions of 

 the test, is not a necessary accompaniment of decreased tolerance. 

 A normal blood sugar curve accompanied by glycosuria usually 

 indicates renal diabetes. We have also found this test useful in 

 the diagnosis of incipient diabetes. All cases of Graves' disease 

 examined, and certain of chronic interstitial nephritis, show a pro- 

 longed blood sugar curve. Hypo-endocrine conditions such as 

 cretinism and muscular dystrophy 1 are characterized by increased 

 sugar tolerance with the ordinary urinary test, but blood sugar 

 determinations showed hypoglycemia and a delayed tolerance 

 curve. Evidently the hypoglycemia accounted for the contrary 

 result obtained by the usual test. In view of these findings 

 former clinical observations on sugar tolerance require revision. 



117 (1295) 



The inversion and determination of cane sugar. 



By Anton R. Rose (by invitation). 



[From the Laboratory of Pathological Chemistry, New York Post- 

 Graduate Medical School and Hospital.] 



Sucrose is completely inverted by heating in a solution of 

 picric acid. This fact has been made use of in the estimation of 

 cane sugar in solutions and extracts. After the cane sugar is 

 hydrolyzed by heating with picric acid under properly controlled 

 conditions, the invert sugar formed is determined by a modified 

 Lewis-Benedict colorometric method. Glucose and fructose are 

 determined at the same time. 



The technic of the method is as follows: 1 c.c. of the clear 

 liquid containing the sugars is transferred to each of two graduated 

 narrow test tubes containing 2 c.c. saturated solution of picric 

 acid. One of the tubes also contains 1 c.c. 20 per cent, sodium 

 carbonate. The two tubes are then immersed into a bath of 

 boiling water. After ten minutes I c.c. of 20 per cent, sodium 



1 Janney, N. W., Goodhart, S. P., and Isaacson, V. L, Arch. f. Int. Med., article 

 in course of publication. 



