H4 



Scientific Proceedings (58). 



of diabetes. The first was in diabetic coma, which had a fatal 

 outcome. The analysis of the urine collected on the second day 

 of coma gave the following figures: Total nitrogen, 7.78 g. ; 

 colloidal nitrogen, 0.22 g. The colloidal nitrogen fraction was 

 2.87 per cent, of the total nitrogen, a normal relationship. 



The second case was one of moderately severe diabetes, with a 

 moderate degree of acetonuria and glycosuria. One analysis gave: 

 Total nitrogen, 14.84 g. ; colloidal nitrogen, 0.91 g. The colloidal 

 nitrogen was 6.2 per cent, of the total nitrogen. 



An analysis made ten days later on the urine of this patient 

 showed: Total nitrogen, 17.9 g. ; colloidal nitrogen, 0.43 g.; col- 

 loidal nitrogen = 2.4 per cent, of total nitrogen. 



According to these figures, which agree with some reported by 

 Wolf and Marriott, there appears to be no definite relationship be- 

 tween the severity of diabetes and the urinary colloidal nitrogen 

 percentage. It is q uite possible, however, that the colloidal sub- 

 stance may fail to be increased in the urine because of faulty kidney 

 elimination and that the blood content may be considerably above 

 the normal without the urine showing any evidence of this. 



71 (888) 



A depressor substance in fecal extracts. 



By George B. Wallace and Mills Sturtevant. 



[From the Laboratory of Pharmacology, University and Bellevue 

 Hospital Medical College.] 



In the course of a study on the relationship of certain symptoms 

 to intestinal disturbances we prepared a ten per cent, watery 

 extract of dried feces and injected 3 c.c. of this intravenously into 

 a dog. The injection was followed by a sudden, sharp fall in 

 blood pressure, with a return to normal level within five minutes. 

 Subsequent injections into the same animal produced a similar 

 fall only when the dose was markedly increased. Extracts of 

 both dried and fresh feces from various individuals have been pre- 

 pared and produce similar results on injection. The fall in pres- 

 sure may reach seventy per cent. With the fall there is seen some 

 quickening in heart rate and at times an irregularity in rhythm. 



