Chemical and Microscopical Analysis of the Urine in Health and Disease - Designed for Physicians and Students Book

PREFACE. IN this, as in the first edition, the object has been to present the most practical and important features of the subject. The book has been carefully revised, and somewhat enlarged by the introduction of new matter, but the same general arrangement is preserved. The decimal system of weights and measures has been adopted, also the new chemical nomenclature and notation. To meet the requirements of those not familiar with the decimal system, equivalents in grains or ounces are usually given in brackets, and a table of comparative values is inserted on the last page OCTOBER, 1876. PART I. 1. CHARACTERS OF NORMAL URINE. 2. EFFECTS OF REAGENTS UPON NORMAL URINE. PART II. CHARACTERS OF ABNORMAL URINE. PART III. URINARY DEPOSITS. 1. THOSE WHICH ARE NATURAL CONSTITUENTS OF THE URINE, EITHER SEPARATELY OR IN COMBINATION. 2. THOSE WHICH ARE FOREIGN TO ITS COMPOSITION UNDER ANY FORM. PART IY. ACCIDENTAL INGREDIENTS WHICH DO NOT FORM DEPOSITS. PART Y. QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS. PART VI. CALCULI AND GRAVEL. ANALYSIS OF THE URINE. parts PART I. CHARACTERS OF NORMAL URINE. THE Composition of the urine per thousand is as follows Water ....... 950.00 Urea 26.20 Creatinine ...... 0.87 Sodium and potassium urates . . 1.45 Sodium and potassium hippurates . . 0.70 Mucus and coloring matter . . 0.35 f Sodium biphosphate .... 0.40 I Sodium and . potassium phosphates 3.35 Lime and . - magnesium phosphates . 0.83 Sodium and I potassium chlorides . 12.55 I Sodium and potassium sulphates . . 3.30 1000.00 These proportions are not invariable, but as in all animal fluids, greatly depend upon diet, age, sex, occupation, etc. A glance at the above table is sufficient to reveal 6 ANALYSIS OF THE URINE. the fact that the urine is practically a watery solution of urea and inorganic salts, the chlorides being espe- cially abundant. UKEA CH 4N 2O. This is the most important, and next to water, the most abundant ingredient of the urine. It is present in the urine of all animals in large proportion, except that of birds and scaly amphibians, where it is almost wholly replaced by the urates. PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL CHARACTERS. Urea is a crystallizable substance, and has the chemical composition given above. The crystals are white, delicate needle-shaped prisms, very soluble in water and alcohol, but sparingly so in ether. It is neutral to test-paper, has a cooling taste like saltpetre, and is without odor. It never appears as a spontaneous deposit in urine. If kept protected from the atmosphere, or in a pure watery solution, urea does not decompose if, however, it is boiled for a long time in pure water or a few moments with an alkali, or heated with water in a sealed tube above 100 C., a change is effected whereby ammonium carbonate is produced by the appropriation of the elements of two molecules of water, thus Urea. Water. Ammonium Carbonate. CHNaO H 4 2 NH42C0 3 . The same phenomenon occurs when a watery solu- tion of urea is brought in contact with decomposing organic matter. Hence the ammoniacal odor of stale urine. ANALYSIS OF THE URINE. 7 A peculiar interest is attached to urea as being the first organic product which was artificially produced. It was obtained by Wohler by mixing the vapors of cyanic acid and ammonia Cyanic Acid. Ammonia. Urea. CHNO NH 3 CH4N2O...Read More