242 Proceedings of Royal Society of Edinburgh. [june 6, 
the Seaforth Highlanders, I was enabled to examine a series of 205 
soldiers and applicants for admission to the army. 
I also got specimens of urine from 74 healthy male adults engaged 
in civil employments. By the kindness of Dr Sinclair and his resi- 
dent assistant Dr Helme, I examined 80 healthy inmates of Craig- 
lockhart Poorhouse ; and by the kindness of Dr Halliday Douglas 
and Mr Munro, I had opportunity of examining the urine of a large 
number of the inmates of the Orphan Hospital. We had thus in 
all 407 presumably healthy individuals, with regard to whose urine 
we made the most careful examination, sometimes on one, some- 
times on several occasions. 
The plan of testing adopted was in all cases the same. Urines 
which were cloudy from any cause were carefully filtered. Those 
which were clear were tested as passed. Each specimen was tested, 
first with nitric acid by the contact method, by which, as previous 
experiment had shown, we could discover albumen in the pro- 
portion of 0‘003 per cent., or 0*0131 1 of a grain per ounce ; and by 
picric acid, using the contact method, by which we could discover 
albumen in the proportion of 0U0015 per cent., or 0U006555 of a 
grain per ounce. Each specimen was also carefully tested for 
peptones, using Eehling’s solution by the contact method, a plan 
which certainly shows the presence of peptones very distinctly when 
they are added to urine, and probably is a reliable test in cases of 
peptonuria. 
Taking specimens of urine passed by 407 presumably healthy 
individuals, during the forenoon or about midday, we found that 
albumen was present in 129, or a little over 31 '7 per cent. Of these 
it was in quantity sufficient to be discovered by the cold nitric acid 
test in 66, in lesser quantity in 63. In Table I. the greatest results 
are shown — 
Table I . — Showing incidence of Albuminuria in 407 presumably healthy 
individuals ( forenoon or noon specimens). 
Urines 
Examined. 
Albumen shown 
by HN0 3 . 
Albumen shown 
by Picric Acid. 
Total. 
Per cent. 
407 
66 
63 
129 
31-7 
But it was evident that a marked difference existed between 
