AOMirch,f902.rm'}    Recent  Literature  Relating  to  Pharmacy.  145 
EXAMINATION  OF  THE  ALBUMINOUS  CONSTITUENTS  IN  URINE. 
In  a  paper  in  the  Pharmaceutische  Post  (1901,  p.  753)  is  given  a 
scheme  by  Portes  and  Desmoulieres  for  the  examination  of  the 
albuminous  constituents  in  urine,  as  follows : 
Thirty  c.c.  of  well- filtered1  urine  is  acidified  by  adding  a  few  drops 
of  concentrated  acetic  acid  (3  to  4  drops);  shake  well  and  allow  to 
stand. 
A,  Sediment.2 
a.  Soluble  in  cone,  acetic  acid  (Nucleoalbumin). 
Control  reaction :  Urine  -f-  3  volumes  of  water  is  divided  into  two 
test-tubes,  one  of  which  may  serve  as  a  comparison.  The  one  tube 
upon  being  acidified  with  acetic  acid  becomes  perceptibly  cloudy, 
due  to  a  precipitation  of  the  pseudo-mucins. 
If  a  copious  precipitate  appears  it  must  be  collected,  washed 
and  dissolved  in  weak  sodium  hydrate  solution,  from  which  it  is 
again  precipitated  by  adding  a  saturated  solution  of  magnesium 
sulphate.  In  this  last  precipitate  phosphorus  will  be  looked  for 
after  calcining  with  potassium  nitrate  and  soda  (by  the  aid  of  the 
nitro-molybdate  reaction). 
b.  Insoluble  in  concentrated  acetic  acid  (Mucin3). 
Control  reaction  :  Hydrochloric  acid  and  nitric  acid  added  in  small 
amount  precipitates  the  mucin,  which  is  soluble  in  an  excess  of  acid 
solution.  Monosodium  phosphate  also  accomplishes  the  same  end. 
Mucin  contains  no  phosphorus. 
B.  The  solution4  is  treated  with  4  drops  of  trichloracetic  acid6 
heated  to  boiling  one-half  minute : 
I.  Precipitate  :  To  50  c.c.  urine  (freed  from  nucleoalbumin  and 
mucin4  by  precipitation  in  the  cold  with  acetic  acid),  which  should 
be  neutralized6  and  filtered,  add  a  saturated  solution  of  magnesium 
sulphate. 
a.  In  the  warm  an  insoluble  precipitate  (Globulin). 
1  If  the  urine  contains  blood  there  remains  upon  the  filter  the  coagulum  of 
fibrin.  The  urine  is  strained  through  linen  and  the  coagulum  is  washed  with 
water.    This  coagulum  is  insoluble  in  pure  water  but  soluble  in  sodium  fluoride 
■  1  :  100  or  in  sodium  chloride  10  :  100. 
2  In  many  urines  are  found  precipitates  of  urates  and  uric  acid  which  are 
not  floculent  but  possess  a  crystalline  form  readily  discernible  under  the 
microscope. 
8  According  to  Leidie  the  mucin  of  a  decomposed  urine  which  shows  an 
ammoniacal  fermentation  is  also  a  nucleoalbumin  ;  what  has  been  identified  in 
