Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to report studies of the colloidal gold reaction of blood serum in diseases of the liver. Zsigmondy,1 in 1901, laid the foundation for the diagnostic use of the colloidal gold reaction by observing that "certain colloids, especially proteins," prevented the precipitation of colloidal gold suspensions by electrolytes, each protein exerting a specific degree of protection against precipitation. On the other hand, Lange,2 in 1912, found that proteins within certain dilutions did not prevent but actually caused the precipitation. The mechanism of the colloidal gold reaction has been the subject of much investigation. Numerous workers, including Felton,3 Weston,4 Cruickshank5 and others,6 have shown that the globulin content is the determining factor in the precipitation of colloidal gold and that albumin protects the colloidal suspension from precipitation. The varying colloidal gold curves obtained with spinal fluids in different pathologic conditions result from variations in the balance

This publication has 4 references indexed in Scilit: