Take a drachm or two of fresh urine; if cloudy, filter through clean sand or filter-paper; boil first and then add a drop of dilute acid to make sure that the reaction is acid; for heat does not precipitate albumen in alkaline urine, and too much acid will cause the same result, because, in the first instance, heat may form alkali albumen, and in the second, acid albumen, both of which are soluble in the urine. If the urine remains cloudy after this test, albumen is present, and the addition of an excess of acid will not dissolve it. .

The precipitate caused by excess of urates will disappear by boiling, and that caused by phos phates is dissolved by the nitric acid.

The Nitric Acid, Or Heller's Test, is the most reliable and delicate.

Put a drachm of pure, colorless nitric acid in a clean test-tube measuring three quarters of an inch in diameter. Incline the test-tube at an angle of forty-five degrees, and allow an equal quantity of filtered urine to slowly trickle down upon the acid from the pipette. The urine must overlie the acid. If albumen be present, it is quickly coagulated by contact with the acid and a white, lardaceous layer, varying in thickness according to the quantity of albumen, is formed at the line of junction. When the quantity of albumen is small, it may be necessary to allow the tube to stand a quarter or half an hour before the white zone is distinguishable If the urine be allowed to cool, four distinct zones: first the lower one, orange colored; next, the albuminous layer; then, the urates, and the upper one, composed of mucin, can be distinguished.