Abstract
Summary
A study has been made of the acetone bodies in blood and urine from a group of patients with diabetic ketosis, including 2 coma patients with urine giving a negative reaction with ferric chloride. The concentrations of free acetone in blood and urine were found to be similar in all cases; this observation supports the view that acetone is secreted into the urine by the physical processes of filtration and diffusion. The observed results were compatible with the suggestion that the cause of a negative urinary reaction with ferric chloride in certain cases of diabetic coma is due to a functional disturbance of the renal tubules, with elevation of the threshold for diacetic acid.
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