No abstract

A simple spectrophotometric method is described for the sialic acids which utilizes the reaction with resorcinol and extraction with butyl acetate-n-butanol as a solvent. Normal values for adults, utilizing N-acetylneuraminic acid as a standard, were found to be 60 ± 10.4 mg./100 ml. Values for newborn babies averaged 40.4 ± 5.7. Similar values were found for specimens from 2-month-old infants to 27-year-old adults. Higher values were noted in the case of rickets, severe burns, rheumatic disease, and tuberculosis.