A practical handbook of medical chemistry.

  • Bowman, John E. (John Eddowes), 1819-1854
Date:
1850
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A practical handbook of medical chemistry. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    which will probably be found to possess considerable hysiological interest—viz., kreatine (C,N,H,,O,) and krea- tinine (C,N,H,O,),* and also the peculiar yellow colouring matter of the urine, of which indeed it appears mainly to consist ; in other words, the extractive matter may be said to comprise all the combustible portion of the residue, with the exception of the urea, uric acid, vesical mucus, and ammoniacal salts. 36. These extractive matters, which in healthy urine usually amount to from seven to twelve parts in 1000, are sometimes divided into spirit or alcohol extract, including the portion soluble both in water and alcohol, which has also been called osmazome; and water extract, including that which is soluble in water and insoluble in alcohol. The real nature of these matters is still very imperfectly understood; and until we shall have obtained further insight into them and their connexion with the animal functions, the student may consider them as so much undefined matter, excreted from the body; without waiting to inquire whether lactic acid and other compounds, the presence of which may at present be considered as uncer- tain, are or are not contained in it. SECTION VII. Ammoniacal Salts. 37. These appear to consist chiefly of the muriate (NH,CZ) and the urate (NH,0,C,,N,H,0,), though it is probable that some of the ammonia contained in the urine is in combination with the two other acids also present— viz., the sulphuric and phosphoric. The urate of ammonia, which has been already noticed (19), appears to be the form in which the uric acid present in the urine is for the most part held in solution, since the free acid requires for its solution a larger proportion of water than the secretion usually contains. 38. The presence of ammonia in urine is best shown by * See Liebig’s Researches on the Chemistry of Food.