Hurtley's test

Hurtley's test

[′hərt·lēz ‚test] (pathology) A test for the presence of acetoacetic acid in urine: take 10 cubic centimeters of a urine specimen and add 2.5 cm3 of concentrated hydrochloric acid and 1 cm3 of a freshly prepared 1% solution of sodium nitrite, then shake and let stand for 2 minutes; add 15 cm3 of 0.880 ammonia and 5 cm3 of 10% ferrous sulfate, then shake and pour into a large boiling tube, allowing it to stand; a violet or purple color confirms the presence of acetoacetic acid.