Abstract: Methods and microcolumns to determine a numerical percentage value as a diagnostic indicator of the blood sugar condition of a specific person. A whole blood sample is lysed and a test sample thereof is placed on a microchromatographic column bed of ion exchange material particles. The column bed is characterized by having no cyanide therein. The column bed comprises an equilibrated suspension of particles selected from the class consisting of CarXH and CarYOH, where "Car" represents an inert substrate for carrying ionizable groups X.sup.- providing dissociated cations H.sup.+ and ionizable groups Y.sup.+ providing anions OH.sup.-. Fractions of various hemoglobin species in the test sample are preferentially eluted or desorbed from the column bed by buffer and wash solutions characterized by having no cyanide therein. Amounts of hemoglobin species in the eluate fractions are detected and measured by spectrometric (color) analysis.