372 INANITION AND MALNUTRITION 



kidney are low, on account of general emaciation, the ratio to body weight is 

 higher than the European normal (1:240, according to Quain). Superficial 

 pigmentation of parts of the cortex appeared in 5 men, 5 women and 1 child. 

 The kidneys appeared anemic in 31 men (18 per cent), 36 women (29 per cent) 

 and 14 children (22 percent); and were more or less fatty in 73 men (42 percent), 

 82 women (66.6 per cent) and 31 children (48.4 per cent). In about }i of the 

 women and Yi of the men and children the microscopic appearance of the kidney 

 was nearly normal, excepting congestion and desquamation of cells in 21 men, 

 2 women and 3 children. In 4 extremely emaciated men, average age about 

 42 years, without apparent disease, the right kidney averaged 2% ounces; the 

 left 2% ounces. Similarly in 4 markedly emaciated women (age 55 years), 

 the right kidney averaged 2 ounces, the left 2^ ounces. The renal substance 

 appeared anemic and fatty in all of these women and 3 of the men. Porter 

 concluded that in general the kidneys in these men wasted relatively somewhat 

 more than the body as a whole; but in the women somewhat less. 



In a man who died after 35 days of starvation, Stschastny ('98) found various 

 stages of "albuminous and granular" degeneration in the renal epithelium; 

 also hyperemia, especially in the glomeruli. 



In a man starved 60 days (on water only), with estimated loss of about 

 40 per cent in body weight, Meyer ('17) found a weight of 115 g. in the left 

 kidney and 101 g. in the right (loss estimated at 49.16 per cent). The 

 renal cortex was thin, but otherwise the gross appearance was normal. In 

 stained sections, multiple small hemorrhagic areas were visible, with pronounced 

 atrophy and degeneration of the renal parenchyma. Some of the glomeruli 

 were completely destroyed, only blood corpuscles being left, while others 

 appeared very much shrunken. 



Lusk ('17) and Morgulis ('23) give an extensive review of the changes in 

 the urine during starvation in man and animals. 



In data from the adult organ weights in autopsy records of the Johns Hop- 

 kins Hospital and the New Orleans Charity Hospital, Bean and Baker ('19) 

 found the kidney weights much influenced by the general state of nutrition 

 (body weights not available). In 597 white males the kidneys varied from an 

 average of 291 g. in the extremely emaciated group to 379 in the fat and obese 

 groups. In 436 white females, the corresponding range (average) was from 

 277 to 448 g. In 252 negro males, the corresponding range was 252-333 g.; 

 and in 228 negro females, 228-341 g. Obviously diseased organs were 

 excluded. 



Rubner ('19) stated that the underfeeding due to war conditions in Germany 

 resulted in a decreased size of the kidneys and other organs. Roessle ('19), 

 however, concluded from the organ weights in 700 soldiers that the kidney 

 weight is but slightly, if at all, depressed by conditions producing general 

 emaciation (chronic fevers, etc.). The general average weight of both kidneys 

 was 306.7 g. ; in a selected group of 89 cases with sudden death, representing a 

 better norm, the average was 317.7 g. 



Krieger ('20), on the other hand, from a smaller number of autopsy records 

 (at Jena) representing various conditions involving malnutrition and emacia- 



