Scientific American Supplement, No. 611, September 17, 1887Various
Science
Scientific American Supplement, No. 611, September 17, 1887
Various
Science -- Periodicals
Glucose, so characteristic of _diabetes mellitus_, is not difficult of
detection or estimation. The facility with which it reduces alkaline
cupric, argentic, bismuthous, ferric, mercuric salts, indigo and
potassic picrate and chromate solutions has been utilized for the
preparation of several ready methods for its determination. Trommer's
test consists in adding enough cupric sulphate to color green, then
excess of alkali, and boiling. Yellow to brick-red cuprous oxide forms
as a heavy precipitate if glucose is present. The organic matter of
the urine prevents the precipitation of cupric hydrate on the addition
of the alkali. This test is delicate and deservedly popular. Fehling's
well-known solution contains sodio-potassic tartrate, which serves the
purpose chiefly of retaining the copper in solution. Unfortunately,
Fehling's original solution has a tendency to become hyper-sensitive
if kept long, a proneness to change that is much increased on
dilution. When so altered, the solution will yield a more or less
copious precipitate of cuprous oxide on merely boiling, and quite
independent of the presence of glucose. This decomposition is obviated
by preserving the copper salt in a separate solution from the tartrate
and alkali, and mixing before use. Schmiedeberg substitutes mannite
and Cresswell glycerin for the Rochelle salt, in order to render the
solution stable. Some prepared by the writer over twelve months ago,
according to the suggestion of the latter physician, has since shown
no signs of decomposition, and is now as good as it was then. For
qualitative purposes the solution may be prepared thus: Dissolve 35
gm. of recrystallized cupric sulphate and 200 c.c. of pure glycerin in
100 c.c. of distilled water. Dissolve separately 80 gm. of caustic
soda in 400 c.c. of water. Mix the solutions and boil for a quarter of
an hour. A small amount of reduction from impurity in the glycerin
takes place. Allow to stand till clear, decant, and dilute to 1,250
c.c. Ten cubic centimeters will then equal roughly 5 centigrammes of
glucose. For exact quantitative determination it is necessary to
standardize the solution with pure anhydrous dextrose.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account