Movable kidney and intermitting hydronephrosis : a thesis for the degree of M.D. Aberdeen / by G.D. Knight.

  • Knight, George Davis.
Date:
1893
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Movable kidney and intermitting hydronephrosis : a thesis for the degree of M.D. Aberdeen / by G.D. Knight. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

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    could be handled freely, and could be pushed upwards beneath the ribs for a little distance, or slightly downwards and to the right. No thrill could be elicited. Firm pres- sure was painful and sickening. Pressure over the left iliac region below the tumour always caused pain. The facts having been placed before the patient, an expectant line of treatment was adopted. Large doses of opium were required to relieve the agony of the more severe paroxysms, and the greater part of her time was passed in bed. The tumour considerably decreased during the month of April, and became of insignificant size ; but coincidently with the period about the end of that month there was the usual increase of pain and sickness, and in a day or two the tumour was as large as before. There was a slow subsidence, and by the 7th of May no tumour could be felt, and pain could be elicited only by deep pressure. Counter irritation in various forms was tried and cer- tainly seemed to have the effect of considerably alleviating the pain. For, though the swelling reappeared at the end of May, there was no sickness, and the pain was compara- tively slight. The tumour did not attain a great size, and, slowly subsiding to the size of a clenched fist, remained in that state without any variation for nearly five months. It cannot be reasonably suggested that the blisters or other forms of counter irritation which were used had any effect in altering what must have been practically a mechanical obstruction. It is, however, probable that the counter irritation had some influence in reducing the reflex suscep- tibility of the nervous system. At any rate the patient improved very much, and though the pain connected with the bowel persisted and required large doses of opium, yet she lost the severe pains in the left side, groin, and thigh, and recovered sufficient strength to permit her being