THE ROSE BENGAL TEST FOR LIVER FUNCTION

Abstract

The value of rose bengal as a clinical test for the estimation of liver activity has been proved conclusively by preliminary experiments and observations.¹ Our purpose in this paper is to describe a simplification of the technic of the test, and to review briefly the types of liver injury which may be revealed by a test of this kind. As has been described in our previous communications, rose bengal is a dye (di-iodo-tetra-chlorfluorescein) of the triphenylmethane series, which is readily soluble in water or saline solution, and which is not toxic for the tissues of the human body. Although Norman and Schmidt² have shown that under the influence of direct sunlight the dye very readily hemolyzes red blood cells in vitro, this photodynamic effect does not seem to occur within the human body to an appreciable extent. Furthermore, it has been our practice to keep tubes of blood