In recent years attention has been directed to the value of a purin-free dietary in the treatment of certain diseases. It has been recommended for gout, renal disease, neuralgias, headaches, bilious attacks, and chronic diseases of all kinds. The system is based on the theory that in these disorders there is a retention of uric acid and other purin bodies in the system, with resulting poisoning of the tissues, clue to their defective elimination. Certain articles of diet contain more purins than others; it follows that if this theory were correct, much benefit might be looked for from a dietary in which the purins were absent, or present in very small amount. There is no doubt that great benefit follows the use of this diet in certain cases, but there is good reason to believe that the benefit is more correctly explained along lines other than the purin-free nature of the food. These will be later referred to.

Nature Of Purins

Purins are substances constructed on the base C5N4. Those of chief clinical importance are uric acid, xanthin, hypoxanthin, adenin, and guanin. These purins are present in certain articles of diet, in the tissues, especially muscular tissue, and in the urinary excretion.

Purins In The Food

Meat and meat extracts contain a large amount of purins; similarly, certain glandular organs, such as the pancreas and liver, are rich in purins. They are also present,though in smaller amount,in many vegetable foods (for example, beans, lentils and oatmeal), and they are relatively abundant in some accessory articles of diet, notably tea and coffee. The following table, taken from Walker Hall's work on Purins, indicates what foods are rich in purins. It will be observed that those include the most appetising foodstuffs, such as are readily indulged in to excess.

The Purin Content Of Foods In Grains Per Pound, Pint, Or Teacup