“Some medical applications of the naphthoquinon sodium mono-sulfonate reactions,” with demonstrations

The author demonstrated a substance of singularly great powers of condensation with other organic substances, this condensation resulting in the formation of colored bodies. He demonstrated especially the reactions of naphthoquinon sodium mono-sulfonate with anilin and various amins, with nicotin, conin, piperidin, and finally with indol, skatol and pyrrol. The reactions with indol, skatol and pyrrol possess unusual physiological and chemical interest and will form the subjects of future publications.

The reaction with pyrrol occurs in the cold and is evidenced by the deepening red which on the addition of alkali changes to purple, violet, blue and finally reddish-brown. The addition of acid to the red solution obtained without alkali is followed by the development of a green and finally brown color. These color reactions (and particularly the one dependent on acids) occur with such rapidity if one uses concentrated heated solutions of pyrrol, that the characteristic color stages may be of extremely short duration. This reaction with pyrrol is a highly characteristic one, and should prove of service to chemists.

Among the biological and medical applications of the naphthoquinon sodium mono-sulfonate reactions, the author mentioned the study of various aromatic compounds in the organism, the occurrence of certain intravital syntheses, the detection in the urine of organic compounds, such as para-amidophenol, and the development of a method of staining the bile capillaries DY means of intravenous infusion of the derivatives of the naohthoquinon compound. The author also stated that these substances facilitate the study of the relation between the chemical constitution and distribution of poisons in the body.