502 
Forms  of  Albumen  in  Urine. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Oct.,  1887. 
The  urine  contained  albumen  to  the  amount  of  1.5  grammes  per 
liter,  which  is  equal  to  0.15  per  cent.,  or  0.655  of  a  grain  per  ounce. 
The  results  show  that  the  boiling  test,  carefully  applied,  is  an  excel- 
lent one,  revealing  the  presence  of  so  little  as  0.00218  of  a  grain  per 
ounce,  and  continuing  to  show  up  to  the  300th  dilution  of  the  stan- 
dard specimen.  But  heat,  with  preliminary  acidification  with  a  little 
acetic  acid,  was  still  more  delicate,  showing  0.001311  of  a  grain  per 
ounce,  and  giving  a  perceptible  haziness  up  to  500  dilutions. 
The  Cold  Nitric  Acid  Test  falls  far  short  of  this  in  delicacy,  for  it 
does  not  give  a  distinct  reaction  beyond  the  50th  dilution,  and  there- 
fore shows  only  with  0,0 1311  of  a  grain  per  ounce.  It  is  true  that 
if  the  specimen  is  allowed  to  stand,  the  reaction  may  gradually  mani- 
fest itself,  with  minute  traces  of  albumen ;  but  this  is  inconvenient, 
and  for  practical  use  tests  are  to  be  estimated  in  proportion  to  their 
rapidity  of  action. 
Metaphosphoric  Acid  gave  the  same  results  as  heating  after  acidula- 
tion  with  acetic  acid,  viz.,  showing  till  the  500th  dilution  of  the 
standard  urine,  and  0.001311  of  a  grain  per  ounce. 
Picric  Acid  proved  the  most  delicate  test,  giving  a  faint  but  percep- 
tible reaction  up  to  the  1000th  dilution  of  the  standard  specimen, 
which  is  equal  to  0.00015  per  cent.,  or  0.000655  of  a  grain  per  ounce. 
The  Potassio-mer curie  Iodide  and  the  Ferrocyanide  of  Potassium 
Tests  gave  the  same  results  as  metaphosphoric  acid,  showing  albumen 
up  to  the  500th  dilution  of  the  standard  specimen,  equal  to  0  001311 
of  a  grain  per  ounce. 
From  these  and  other  observations  Prof.  Stewart  concludes  that 
picric  acid  is  the  most  delicate  of  all  the  reagents  which  we  possess  for 
albumen,  and  that  next  to  it  rank  the  potassio-mercuric  iodide,  the 
heating  after  acidulation  with  acetic  acid,  the  ferrocyanide  of  potas- 
sium, and  the  metaphosphoric  acid.  Boiling  and  adding  nitric  acid  is 
less  delicate,  and  still  less  so  is  the  cold  nitric  acid  test. 
But  delicacy  is  not  the  only  quality  required  of  a  test.  Indeed,  a 
test  may  be  too  delicate  for  practical  purposes.  And  again  tests  other- 
wise suitable  may  be  practically  inconvenient.  Nitric  acid  is  difficult 
to  carry  about,  and  picric  acid  presents  a  similar  disadvantage,  al  - 
though in  a  minor  degree.  The  test  pellets  devised  by  Dr.  Pavy,  of 
London,  and  the  test  papers  of  Dr.  Oliver  of  Harrowgate,  are  ex- 
tremely convenient,  being  easily  carried  about,  and  very  delicate.  But 
it  may  be  held  that  they  are  too  delicate,  for  few  urines  fail  to  show 
