246 Proceedings of Royal Society of Edinburgh. [june 6, 
Table IV . — Showing the Influence of Breakfast on the Discharge of 
Albumen from the Kidneys. 
No. 
Before Breakfast. 
After Breakfast. 
No. 
Per cent. 
No. 
Per cent. 
Soldiers, 
32 
5 
15-625 
13 
40-625 
Old Men, 
40 
15 
37-5 
27 
67-5 
Children 
40 
5 
12-5 
7 
17-5 
(Craiglockhart), 
Children 
43 
7 
14-6 
10 
20-83 
(Orphan Hospital) 
Total, 
160 
32 
20 
57 
35-6 
In connection with this it is worthy of notice that in most of the 
cases of after-breakfast albuminuria the quantity of albumen was 
too minute to be shown by the cold nitric acid test, and also that 
when it was present before, it was generally increased in amount 
after the meal. But, on the other hand, there were two cases 
among the children in which breakfast was followed by the disap- 
pearance of albuminuria which had been present on rising. I have 
met with facts corresponding to this in some of my albuminuric 
patients. A gentleman who is at present under my care shows 
copious albumen in the morning urine, and a comparatively small 
quantity after breakfast. 
Contrary to what one might expect, considering what is usually 
taken for breakfast, as compared with what is taken for the other meals, 
it appears that breakfast more frequently induces albuminuria, or an 
increase of albumen, than the other meals. As to the explanation 
of the influence of food in this respect, it is difficult to speak posi- 
tively. I shall not at present seek to determine whether an altera- 
tion of the blood, or the blood pressure, or of the vascular walls, or 
epithelial structures, is at fault. It may also be remarked that the 
mucin in the urine also increases after food, although not to the 
same extent. 
The next point investigated was the effect of muscular exercise 
on albuminuria. It appeared desirable to distinguish between the 
effects of moderate exercise and of severe and prolonged exertion. 
Observations were therefore made upon soldiers before and after 
their weekly march of seven to ten miles, and before and after the 
fatigue duty of coal-carrying. 
