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A little-known procedure for porphobilinogen screening, the Hoesch test, was examined for sensitivity, specificity, and utility as compared to the Watson-Schwartz test. The data demonstrate that its sensitivity is similar to that of the Watson-Schwartz test. The Hoesch test, however, is without false-positive reactions secondary to urobilinogen, and its simplicity makes it easier to use and more easily interpretable. We conclude that the Hoesch test should replace the Watson-Schwartz test for urine porphobilinogen screening in suspected cases of acute intermittent and variegate porphyria.

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Summary. In patients with pronounced jaundice the sweat, tears, saliva and gastric juice were found to be bilirubin‐free. The behavior of milk in pronounced jaundice is yet unknown. The renal threshold for bilirubin is in the adult about 5 mg. per 100 ml. of serum (3–7 and occasionally as high as 11). The bilirubin clearance is very low (0.1–0.5) and does not show any close correlation to the urea clearance. The excretion of bilirubin in the kidneys seems to take place by secretion by the tubular epithelia only and the ability of the kidneys to excrete bilirubin is very limited. The individual variations of the renal threshold and the clearance for bilirubin are considerable. The cerebrospinal and eye liquors are entirely bilirubin‐free in most cases of jaundice. Only in cases of pronounced and longstanding jaundice may traces of bilirubin (below 1% of the serum concentration) be found.