A Simple Method for the Estimation of Blood Urea Applicable at the Bedside

Or" the many biochemical tests done 011 the blood for clinical purposes, the estimation of blood urea is one of the most important. This is indicated in nephritis, uraemia, enlarged prostate, obstruction to the urinary flow, and various other conditions and throws considerable light on the condition of the patient. In normal healthy Bengalees it is rare to find a blood urea-nitroge11 value greater than 14 mg. per 100 c.c. of the blood. In uraemia, and in other conditions wit}1 impaired kidney function, notably in cholera? is greatly increased. Values as great as 100 per 100 c.c. of blood may be met with in these conditions and indicate a very bad prognosis. There are many excellent methods for the estimation of the blood urea, but as they requii*e considerable laboratory facilities and apparatus, they are not suitable for patients in the remote mofussil. In the present paper a very simp'e method for estimating the blood urea is given which can be easily performed in the mofussil of