p,(5 DISEASES OF THE KIDNEY. 



had to them. Sq iills and other stimulating diuretics must not be em- 

 ployed without the utmost caution, on account of the irritating action 

 which they exert upon the kidneys ; but there are certain salts, espe- 

 cially cream of tartar, and the tartarus boraxatus (soluble cream of 

 tartar), which are decidedly beneficial in their effect. The physician 

 above alluded to has repeatedly freed himself of his dropsy through 

 the free use of buttermilk, and the employment of cream of tartar and 

 small doses of Dover's powder. 



We have yet to mention the drastics as remedies against the dropsy. 

 Observations upon cholera have taught us that a heavy drain of water 

 from the intestinal capillaries will render the blood more concentrated, 

 and thereby promote absorption of dropsical collections. There was a 

 very instructive case at the clinic of Tubingen, which has been de- 

 scribed by Ztiebermeister, where a patient with Bright's disease was 

 attacked by dysentery and died. In consequence of the thin, copious 

 diarrhoea, the extensive general dropsy, from which this patient had 

 long suffered, was reduced to a minimum a few days before his death. 

 It may also be said in favor of the drastics that, during their employ- 

 ment, the kidneys are saved from irritation. Nevertheless, we should 

 never have recourse to them save in time of extreme need, since the 

 patient is liable to be intensely affected by them, and since, by then- 

 persistent use, the digestion becomes impaired. The drastics most 

 frequently employed in treatment of Bright's disease are, elaterium, 

 gr. -J J, colocynth, in form of decoction, 3 j 3 ij, to water, vj, or 

 else in the form of tincture. 



As remedies against uraemic intoxication, Frerichs, who ascribes 

 this condition to surcharge of the blood with carbonate of ammonia, 

 has proposed the acids, especially benzoic acid, in order to form harm- 

 less ainmoniacal combinations. In the cases observed by me, I have 

 not been able to perceive any effect from this treatment which is based 

 purely upon theory ; whereas strong drastics, and iced applications to 

 the head, always seem to produce a favorable impression. 



CHAPTER V. 



NEPHRITIS VERA INTERSTITIAL NEPHRITIS RENAL ABSCESS METAS- 



TATIC DEPOSITS IN THE KIDNEY. 



ETIOLOGY. While in acute and chronic Bright's disease the chief 

 pathological changes take place in the uriniferous tubules, the altera- 

 tions which occur in the intervening substance being altogether of a 

 subordinate and secondary charactei, in the variety of renal inflamma- 

 tion which forms the subject of the present chapter, the disease lies 



