| Theorized roughly two centuries ago by a man | | | | testing before the company, Boehringer, known in |
| known as Carl Friedrich Gartner in the early | | | | the world market under the name of Roche, |
| 1800's, his desire was openly made for an easy | | | | launched its first com-bur test-strips. Despite the |
| way of testing urine for disease at a patient's | | | | drug test strips having changed their external |
| bedside. Through many different cultures urine | | | | appearance minimally since 1960, they now |
| was once regarded as a mystical fluid, and in | | | | contain a number of revolutionary |
| some cases it is still regarded as such to this day; | | | | innovations. Impregnation techniques, added |
| one such example being how people from India | | | | stable color indicators, and the steady |
| cover the urine of a cow. Uses vary and have | | | | improvement in color gradation have all |
| included wound healing, stimulation of the body's | | | | contributed to the fact that the use of urine |
| defenses, and examinations for diagnosing the | | | | test-strips has now become established in clinical |
| presence of diseases. Naturally evolving at a | | | | and private practice as a reliable medical |
| steady progression over the countless centuries | | | | instrument. |
| since it was introduced as an idea, many of the | | | | From the very first realization of a reaction |
| earliest methods of detecting disease would be | | | | capable of being reached through urine testing by |
| brought forward through analysis of a subjects | | | | searching out a pollutant or chemical inside, the |
| urine. | | | | state of urine-testing has absolutely exploded in |
| While extremely crude in the earlier models, in | | | | what it can do and test for in the last three |
| 1950, a Parisian chemist known as Jules Maumene | | | | decades. Where once it was extremely limited in |
| would be the first to invent an actual urine test | | | | what it could possibly detect, with only very |
| strip; he did this by impregnating a strip of merino | | | | limited uses and applications, now it is possible to |
| wool with a chemical known as 'tin protochloride.' | | | | test anything from narcotics, to disease, to even |
| Upon application of a drop of urine and heating it | | | | excretions which may be filtered through the |
| over a candle, the strip would instantly turn black | | | | urine in certain foods, drinks and handled objects. |
| if the urine contained sugar. Nearly forty years | | | | One thing to keep in mind is that despite so much |
| later, in 1883 an english physiologist known as | | | | evolution in what the test can detect for, an |
| George Oliver actually markets the first "Urinary | | | | inherent flaw will always exist in counter-reactions |
| Test Papers". These would become open for | | | | which can be introduced by foreign substances |
| commercial purchase nearly ten years later as | | | | being purposely added to the urine content. |
| they would be called Reagent papers and would | | | | One such common example is the early |
| be distributed by a company known as | | | | understanding that vitamin b12 otherwise known |
| "Helfenberg AG." | | | | as 'Niacin' was capable of neutralizing test results |
| Progressively improving itself until actually | | | | by directly and adversely reacting with the |
| becoming a reliable method of testing in the early | | | | chemicals inside the test being used to detect |
| 1920's by today's standards, with a approval rate | | | | narcotics. While this specific flaw has been more |
| of roughly 90%, it wouldn't be until the 1950's that | | | | or less hammered out by the introduction of a |
| the modern method of testing would be theorized | | | | test to see increased levels of vitamin b12, it is an |
| and introduced to the public. Working on the basis | | | | excellent example of how where one sought |
| of chemical reactions to force a change that will | | | | reaction can take place, another one altogether |
| become readable on a test strip, the exact | | | | can happen if a foreign substance is introduced to |
| chemical being used to determine a positive or | | | | the test. Another extremely troublesome chemical |
| negative reaction is directly dependent on the | | | | that can interfere with urine test-strips is ascorbic |
| chemical that is trying to be detected. Only when | | | | acid (vitamin C) it directly affects the oxidation |
| the proper chemical is introduced to the | | | | reaction of the blood and glucose pad on common |
| drug test will it trigger a proper result, an | | | | urine test strips. More commonly now, primarily in |
| important fact to remember as a urine test linked | | | | urine test strips that are more expensive, an |
| directly to the detection of marijuana will not | | | | agent has been introduced to limit interference, |
| detect something like alcohol. Roughly fifteen | | | | known as iodate, it eliminates ascorbic acid by |
| years would pass from this breakthrough in urine | | | | oxidation. |