RESUMO
Injecting urine obtained from patients suffering from hepatitis (acute and chronic-active), into the dorsal lymph sac of 336 frogs, the authors repeatedly observed serious motor disturbances, which caused the death of animals, in proportion of 66%. Histologically, in the treated animals grave neuronal lesions appear (reaching sclerosis and disintegration of motor neurons) at the level of the midbrain, pons and medulla oblongata, attaining the highest degree in the motor zones of the ventral horns, of the spinal cord. In the control group (200 frogs), treated in the same manner with urine originating from healthy persons, the mortality was only 6%. It is concluded that in the active stage of hepatites, in the urine of the patients cytolytic substances of a definite neurotoxic action appear, which is manifest by motor disorders and grave dystrophic lesions of the brainstem and spinal cord.
