1887 .] Prof. G. Stewart on Albumen from Kidneys. 241 
he examined, that is in 84 per cent. Dr Capitan found that among 
98 Drench soldiers 44 or 44 ’9 percent, had albuminuria. Professor 
Lenbe, oil the other hand, found among 119 German soldiers whom 
he examined that only 4 per cent, showed albumen on rising in 
the morning, and 16 per cent, in the forenoon after a march of 
several hours’ duration. Dr Van Noorden states that he found it 
vary under different conditions among healthy German soldiers from 
3 to 35 per cent. Dr Munro found albuminuria in 24 out of 220, 
that is in lOd per cent., presumably healthy people examined for 
life insurance in the United States of America. And Dr Leroux 
found it only 19 times among 330 children, or in 5 ’76 per 
cent. 
Such contrariety of results made me think it desirable to make 
a fresh series of observations upon this point, with the view of 
determining (first) whether Posner is right in saying that albumen 
is present in every urine ; (second) what proportion of presumably 
healthy people have albumen in the urine in quantity sufficient for 
demonstration by the tests ordinarily in use; and (third) what effects 
various physiological conditions, such as diet, exercise, severe exertion, 
and cold bathing, produced upon the discharge. 
I have, with the aid of Dr Stevens, made some experiments with 
the view of determining the first of these questions, and have tried 
to repeat Posner’s observations. I do not feel sure that our results 
were absolutely satisfactory, but the conclusion to which I am led in 
the meantime is that albumen, if present at all in normal urine, is in 
such extremely minute amount as to be barely discernible, or not 
discoverable at all, with the most delicate tests, even after consider- 
able concentration. The minute trace which appears sometimes to be 
present is probably accounted for by the epithelial and other cellular 
elements from the urinary passages which are present in greater or 
less amount in every urine. 
With the view of obtaining evidence as to the second question, 
that is the proportion of presumably healthy people who have 
albumen in their urine in quantity sufficient for demonstration by 
the tests ordinarily in use, I have examined, with the assistance of 
Dr Stevens and Mr Boddie, several series of presumably healthy 
individuals. By the kindness of Dr Mills and Mr Fayrer, medical 
officers of Edinburgh Castle, and of the Colonel and Adjutant of 
