Albuminoid

(al-bu' -min-oid). 1. Resembling albumin. Applied to certain compounds having many of the characteristics of albumin. 2. Any nitrogenous principle of the cla of which normal albumin may be regarded as the type. A. Disease, also spoken of as lardaceous, waxy, or amyloid degeneration. A form of degeneration usually affecting simultaneously a number of the viscera, and occurring secondarily to some preexisting disease. Those viscera most usually the seat of the change are, in the order of frequency, the spleen, liver, kidneys, intestine and glands. The ti ues around the capillary ve els are first affected; from these centers it spreads till the whole organ or section presents a pale, glistening, waxy, or bacon-like appearance. This is due to the infiltration of a peculiar proteid substance, lardacein, which, with iodin, gives a deep mahogany brown color, the characteristic test for the disease. The preexisting trouble is either some chronic suppuration, as in bone or joint disease, or some wasting disease like pulmonary tuberculosis, syphilis, etc. The only way in which the disease may be arrested is by thorough removal of the cause.