ANUIIIA AND ALBUMINURIA FROM DIGITALIS. 413 



but affects those of the kidney more powerfully than those of 

 other parts of the body. Thus, it causes a moderate contraction 

 of the systemic vessels, and raises the blood-pressure in them, 

 but, at the same time, produces excessive contraction of the 

 renal vessels, so as to stop the circulation in the kidneys and 

 arrest the secretion of urine. 



As the action of the drug on the systemic vessels passes off, 

 they relax, and the blood-pressure falls ; but the renal arteries 

 probably dilate more quickly and to a greater extent than the 

 others. The pressure of blood in the glomeruli may thus be 

 increased above that normally present in them, although the 

 tension in the arterial system generally may have fallen below 

 the normal. 



Additional evidence in favour of this explanation is afforded 

 by the fact that the urine collected after the re-establishment 

 of secretion contains albumen, just as Herrmann found it to do 

 after mechanical arrest of the circulation through the renal 

 arteries. 



AYe do not overlook the possibility that the alteration in 

 secretion may be partly due to the direct action of the drug on 

 the secreting elements of the kidneys^ and we are still engaged 

 in experiments on this subject. * 



