Paper, 'A contribution to the study of the yellow colouring matter of the urine' by Archibald Edward Garrod

Description

Garrod writes: 'The uncertainty which still surrounds the origin of a phenomenon so familiar as the yellow coloration of the urine bears eloquent testimony to the difficulties which beset the investigation, by ordinary chemical methods, of such substances as the urinary pigments, and to the importance of the part which the spectroscope has played in the acquisition of such knowledge of them as we possess. Indeed, our acquaintance with the individual pigments is proportional to the distinctive character of their absorption spectra, rather than to the time which has elapsed since they first attracted attention; and in not a few modern works doubt is thrown upon the very existence of a distinct yellow pigment, having negative spectroscopic properties, but to which normal urine owes its characteristic tint, the chief part in the coloration of the excretion being assigned to urobilin.'

Annotations in pencil and ink.

Subject: Biochemistry

Received 5 February 1894. Read 26 April 1894. Communicated by Alfred Baring Garrod.

A version of this paper was published in volume 55 of the Proceedings of the Royal Society as 'A contribution to the study of the yellow colouring matter of the urine'.

Reference number

PP/23/26

Earliest possible date

1894

Physical description

Ink and graphite pencil on paper

Page extent

28 pages

Format

Manuscript