A contribution to the study of some forms of albuminuria (nephritis) associated with kidney tension and their treatment / by Reginald Harrison.

  • Harrison, Reginald, 1837-1908.
Date:
1903
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Licence: In copyright

Credit: A contribution to the study of some forms of albuminuria (nephritis) associated with kidney tension and their treatment / by Reginald Harrison. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    congestion seems by no means improbable. Sir Thomas Watson, in his Lectures, observed that “ the stress or con- gestion which befalls the kidney in cases of febrile anasarca may set on foot a morbid process that long works silently and unobserved, but at last declares its operation by symptoms.” We may perhaps argue that by the organisa- tion of the products of inflammation and congestion, and by the repairs the latter may render necessary, an ex- planation may be found for some of the structural changes observed in connection with certain chronic forms of nephritis. Nor can the fact be entirely discarded in connection with this subject that the medicinal treatment of albuminuria, so far as relates to the altered state of the urine, cannot be regarded as entirely satisfactory or pro- gressive. Commenting upon this point, Sir T. Grainger Stewart observes: 11 Sir William Roberts and Professor Rosenstein have come to the same general conclusion as Professor Saundby as regards the inefficacy of drugs in diminishing albuminuria, and I have satisfied myself by a long series of careful observations that we have no right to credit any drug with the power of directly diminishing the discharge of albumin.” I will now proceed to the more practical part of the sub- ject. This, though of a somewhat fragmentary character, presents points of interest which seem worthy of considera- tion, if not of further application. Since the introduction of the more general adoption of direct exploration of the kidney through an incision from the loin or otherwise a certain proportion of cases have been met with where it failed to reveal any obvious cause for the symptom or symptoms which led to the adoption of the proceeding. It has, however, been frequently noticed that such cases were often completely and permanently cured by what was done. Amongst others Professor Annandale was one of the first to draw attention to this fact. A few examples of this kind, occurring at varying intervals during a somewhat lengthened experience of my own, have led me to believe that there may be other explanations for this than those hitherto offered. I regret that only scanty notes were kept at the time of some of my cases, arising from the fact that, in the absence of what was sought for, the exist- ing conditions were insufficiently appreciated, whilst the results appeared either unexplainable or were referred to local states, such as the accidental fixation of a loose kid-