1891-92.] Dr D. Turner on Electriccd Resistance of Urines. ' 23 
water, while the sp. gr. is raised by the sugar. Further experiments 
in these directions are, however, desirable. 
For all that, the resistance usually diminishes with the amount of 
sugar passed and the return to a more normal condition, and may 
be utilised as a test of the patient’s progress. 
What influence, if any, other chronic diseases, and what influence 
medicines and diet, may have in causing exceptions to the rule, 
“ that the resistance varies inversely to the speciflc gravity,” I am 
at present unable to say, for the results so far obtained by me in 
them are not in sufflcient accordance to permit of any conclusion 
being drawn. 
I feel myself, however, in a position to state, that the healthier 
the condition of the kidneys, other things being equal, the lower will 
be the electrical resistance of the urine, and vice versa, where the 
kidneys are failing, the resistance will be increased. 
This would, a priori, have been expected, and is subject to the 
general rule laid down. 
F urther, where in a urine of average or more than average speciflc 
gravity the resistance is high, the presence of grape sugar may be 
suspected. 
I append, for purposes of comparison, a short table of the observed 
and speciflc resistances of some of the typical normal and diabetic 
urines examined by me ] and if permitted, I hope in a future com- 
munication to be able to consider the electrical resistance, or its 
reciprocal, the conductivity, in other and more acute diseases. 
In conclusion, I desire to express my great indebtedness to Dr J. 
0. Affleck, physician to the Eoyal Infirmary, not only for many of 
the specimens of urine obtained from patients under his care, but 
also and particularly for the kind encouragement he has continually 
extended to me in prosecuting this inquiry. My grateful thanks are 
also due to Dr Milne Murray for advice and assistance in arranging 
some of the electrical details. 
