Am'oc0tu,ris^7arm'}  Proteids  of  Seeds  of  Abrus  Precatorius.  503 
some  reaction  with  them.  Indeed,  many  of  them  show  some  reaction 
with  practically  normal  urines.  The  smallest  quantity  of  mucin  may 
suffice  to  produce  the  reaction,  or  a  quite  infinitessimal  trace  of  albu- 
men proper.  The  tests  must  be  used  with  discrimination,  and  too 
much  importance  must  not  be  attached  to  their  fainter  indications. 
Albuminuria  is  rarely  a  serious  condition  unless  it  is  sufficiently  pro- 
nounced to  be  made  out  by  the  cold  nitric  acid  test. 
As  to  the  quantitative  analysis  of  albuminous  urine,  Prof.  Stewart 
approves  most  highly  of  the  coagulating,  drying  and  weighing  pro- 
cess. A  less  laborious  process  is  that  known  as  Esbach's  method. 
This  plan  requires  certain  special  tubes,  graduated  so  as  to  show  the 
height  to  which  the  urine  to  be  tested,  and  that  to  which  the  reagent 
(a  solution  of  picric  and  citric  acids)  should  reach,  also  the  number  or 
proportion  of  grammes  per  liter.  The  urine  is  filled  up  to  the  level 
indicated  by  the  letter  U,  then  the  test  fluid  to  the  line  marked  R, 
and  the  fluids  having  been  thoroughly  mixed,  are  set  aside  to  stand  for 
twenty-four  hours.  At  the  end  of  that  time  the  level  reached  by  the 
coagulum,  enables  us  to  read  off  the  grammes  per  liter.  The  obser- 
vations brought  out  a  result,  as  is  seen  in  the  table,  of  2'5  grammes 
per  liter,  which  is  equivalent  to  0  25  per  cent.,  or  1*0837  grains  per 
ounce.  It  thus  very  closely  corresponded  to  the  results  obtained  by 
the  first  method. 
Esbach's  method  brings  out  results  closely  corresponding  to  those 
obtained  by  the  elaborate  drying  and  weighing  process.  As  the 
method  is  easily  worked,  as  well  as  so  reliable,  it  is  a  good  one  to 
adopt.  Its  only  disadvantages  are  that  one  must  wait  twenty-four 
hours  before  the  result  can  be  obtained,  and  that  it  does  not  enable  us 
to  measure  less  than  0.5  grammes  per  liter. 
PROTEIDS  OF  SEEDS  OF  ABRUS  PRECATORIUS.1 
By  Sidney  Martin,  M.D.,  London. 
The  proteids  of  the  seeds  of  abrus,  the  Indian  licorice,  are  impor- 
tant physiologically,  because  they  have  been  shown  by  Warden  and 
Waddell2  to  be  possessed  of  poisonous  properties.    To  the  poisonous 
1  From  the  "  Proceedings  of  the  Eoyal  Society ;  "  reprinted  from  Phar. 
J»ur.  and  Trans.,  Sept.  17th,  p.  234. 
2  "The  Non-bacillar  Nature  of  Abrus  Poison."  By  C.  J.  H.  Warden  and  L. 
A.  Waddell.    Calcutta,  1884. 
