<i>Second Communication</i>on the Blood and Effused Fluids in Gout, Rheumatism, and Bright's Disease

Abstract

I had the honour to communicate to the Society a paper on the condition of the Blood and Urine in Gout, Rheumatism, and Bright's Disease, which appeared in the volume of the ' Transactions' for that year; I now offer one intended as supplementary to the first, and introductory to a third paper, which I hope in a few weeks to bring before your notice.The principal points established in the first paper having reference to the subject matter of the present communication are as follow:1.The discovery of uric acid in the blood.2. Its existence in very minute quantities, mere traces, in healthy human blood, and in that of some of the lower animals, as the duck.3. Its augmentation in that fluid in certain pathological conditions of the habit.The mode then recommended for its discovery and esti.mation was, to extract from carefully dried blood serum, by xxxVII.FSerum of blood.1853.