Sulphur Partition of Ocular Humors and Presence of Glutathione in Lenses of the Eye.

Gravimetric determinations of total sulphur, non-protein sulphur, total sulphates and inorganic sulphates have been made upon the humors of oxen eyes. Mean figures are based upon from 6 to 14 analyses in each instance. The total sulphur of the aqueous humor was 3.74 mg. per 100 cc., and of this 64% was found to be nonprotein sulphur. Sulphate sulphur formed 54% of the nonprotein sulphur. Ninety % of the total sulphates were present as inorganic sulphates.

In the vitreous filtrate 4.05 mg. per 100 cc. of total sulphur were found, and of this total sulphur, 54% was non-protein sulphur. Seventy-four % of the nonprotein sulphur was sulphate sulphur. The inorganic sulphates formed 83% of the total sulphates.

The sodium nitroprusside test for glutathione has been applied to normal lenses, both human and oxen, and to cataractous lenses. All of the normal lenses gave a deep magenta color. Of 64 cataractous lenses, 26 (40%) showed no color, 19 presented a trace of color about the periphery, and in 19 a color definitely lighter than in the normal lenses was obtained.