GLANDS AND THE WORK OF EXCRETION 211 



the kidneys. Exercise and bathing, which tend to make 

 the skin more active, are valuable aids both in ridding the 

 body of impurities and in lessening the work of the other 

 excretory organs. One having a disease of the kidneys, 

 however, needs to exercise great care in bathing on account 

 of the bad results which follow getting chilled. 



Special Care after Certain Diseases. Certain diseases, 

 as measles, diphtheria, scarlet fever, and typhoid fever, 

 sometimes have the effect of weakening the kidneys (and 

 other vital organs) and of starting disease in them. When 

 this occurs it is usually the result of exposure or of over- 

 exertion while the body is in a weakened condition. 

 Severe chilling at such a time, by driving blood from the 

 surface to the parts within, often causes inflammation of 

 the kidneys. On recovering from any wasting disease one 

 should exercise great caution both in resuming his regular 

 work and in exposing his body to wet or cold. 



Misunderstood Symptoms. Pains in the small of the 

 back, an increase in the secretions of the kidneys, and a 

 sediment in the urine very naturally suggest some disorder 

 of the kidneys. It is a fact, however, that these symptoms 

 have little or no relation to the state of the kidneys and 

 may occur when the kidneys are in a perfectly healthy 

 condition. The kidneys are not located in the small of 

 the back, but above this place, so that pains in this region 

 are evidently not from the kidneys, while the increase in 

 the flow of the urine may arise from a number of causes, 

 one of which is an increase of certain waste products 

 passed into the blood. The symptoms referred to are 

 frequently the results of nervous exhaustion, resulting 

 from overstudy, worry, eye strain, or some other condition 

 that overtaxes the nervous system. When this is the case, 

 relief is obtained through resting the nerves. Actual 



