52 



Scientific Proceedings (31). 



heated over a flame to a brief boiling. One part^ of normal solu- 

 tion of NaOH is then added quickly to the heated mixture and 

 the whole is boiled once more for a few seconds. The presence 

 of an increased content of protein in a spinal fluid is indicated by 

 the appearance of a granular or flocculent precipitate which grad- 

 ually settles under a clear supernatant liquid. The intensity of 

 the reaction varies greatly according to the amount of the protein 

 which a given specimen contains, but the granular appearance of 

 the precipitate means a positive reaction for syphilis or parasyphi- 

 litic affections. 



With normal or non-specific specimens there will be a slight 

 opalescence or sometimes a marked turbidity which, however, 

 does not settle out in several hours or even in 24 hours. 



Blood serum. One part^ of clear serum is mixed with nine 

 parts^ of half saturated solution of ammonium sulphate. Upon 

 complete precipitation, the mixture is centrifugalized and the 

 compact deposit (globulin fractions) is separated from the super- 

 natant fluid by decantation. The deposit is then redissolved in 

 ten parts ^ of 0.9 per cent, salt solution, in which it easily dissolves. 

 The globulin solution thus obtained is ready for the acidification 

 with butyric acid. This is done by mixing one part of the solu- 

 tion with an equal part of 10 per cent, butyric acid solution. It 

 is my custom to take 0.5 c.c. of each solution for mixing. On 

 standing, prompt and dense turbidity begins to appear in the tubes 

 containing the fractions of the serum of syphilitic or certain non- 

 syphilitic patients, while those from normal serum remain quite 

 clear after several hours, or show only slight opalescence with- 

 out precipitation. 



A few words may be added here as to the results of investiga- 

 tions made with the above methods. About 250 specimens of 

 cerebro-spinal fluid, mostly of parasyphilitics, and about 300 speci- 

 mens of the blood of syphilitic and parasyphilitic patients, together 

 with many control specimens derived from patients with non- 

 syphilitic diseases and normal persons, have been studied. 



1 Namely, o. I c.c. in this case. 



^Usually 0.5 c.c. is sufficient and convenient. 



3 Namely, 4.5 c.c. in this instance. 



^5 c.c. in this instance. 



