342 DISEASES OF THE URINARY APPARATUS. 



formed when the urine contains much urea, is rapidly dissolved by 

 the action of heat. 



2. Add to urine which is acidulated by acetic acid an equal 

 volume of a saturated solution of sulphate of soda or of magnesia, 

 and make it boil (Hoppe-Seyler's reaction). The precipitate or 

 the turbidity which is formed may contain, besides albumin, sul- 

 phate of lime (due to the large quantity of lime in the horse's urine), 

 also administered alkaloids — quinine, for example, etc. The micro- 

 scopic examination will always enable us to recognize the substances 

 easily. 



3. Urine which is slightly acidulated by acetic acid is mixed 

 with a concentrated solution of ferrocyanide of potassium. When 

 the urine is much concentrated, it must first be diluted with dis- 

 tilled water. A precipitate which is formed around drops of the 

 reagent falling into the urine, indicates the presence of albumin. 



4. Boil acid urine, or if alkaline the urine must be slightly 

 acidulated by means of acetic acid. If the precipitate which is the 

 result is not dissolved by nitric acid, it is formed of albumin. By 

 proceeding in this way we can recognize the albumin of the serum 

 and globulin, but not propeptone, which does not coagulate. 



In doubtful cases the urine must be examined by employing 

 several of these processes successively. 



Among the other urine reagents, we must also mention meta- 

 phosphoric acid (Hindenlang), picric acid (Johnson), mercurial 

 iodide of potassium (the urine is previously rendered acid by 

 means of citric acid — Geissler's reaction paper), citric acid tablets, 

 or tablets of the ferrocyanide of potassium (Pavy), carbolized water 

 (Méhn), tannin solution (Almén), trichloracetic acid (Raabe), chlor- 

 ides of mercury and sodium (Fiirbringer), formo-chloride of gold 

 (Axenfeld). 



Treatment of albuminuria. The symptoms of albuminuria 

 are generally not treated as such ; an exception must be made, how- 

 ever, for the cases where the loss of albumin becomes considerable 

 and endangers life. 



The most important indication is the regulation of the diet. 

 According to Penzoldt,^ a meat diet increased the quantity of 

 albumin in an albuminuric dog ; it was reduced with farinaceous 

 foods, especially bread. The regimen in albuminuria should there- 

 fore consist of non-nitrogenized food (fats, hydrate of carbon, gela- 



1 Penzoldt: Verhandl. des Congress f. innere Med., Wiesbaden, 1885. 



