PART VIII. 

 DISEASES OF THE KIDNEYS. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEYS. NEPHRITIS. 



While from a pathological standpoint a great many differ- 

 ent varieties of nephritis may be distinguished, from the 

 clinical side four forms are recognized in animals : 



(a) Acute parenchymatous. 



(b) Chronic interstitial. 



(c) Purulent. 



(d) Pyelonephritis. 



Acute Parenchymatous Nephritis. — Definition. — ^An inflam- 

 mation of the functional tissue of the kidneys. 



Occurrence. — ^This form of nephritis is the most common in 

 animals. It may be primary and due to the action of toxic 

 substances or perhaps cold on the kidneys, or secondary to 

 infectious diseases. 



Etiology. — Irritants, such as cantharides, mustard, col- 

 chicum, carbolic acid, gasoline, mercury, cotton-seed meal, 

 fungi, free hemoglobin, etc., are the commonest causes of 

 primary nephritis. Cold is probablj'^ also a cause or at least 

 a refrigeration of the body can predispose an animal to neph- 

 ritis. Most cases of nephritis in animals, however, are secon- 

 dary to such infectious diseases as influenza, hog-cholera, 

 glanders or tuberculosis. It frequently complicates azoturia, 

 probably due to the action of the free hemoglobin on the 

 kidney. Nephritis may further be due to an inflammation of 

 the renal pelvis or lu-inary bladder (pyelitis, cystitis). In 

 rare instances nephritis may be caused by traumatism or 

 still more rarelv attends rheimiatism. Diffuse skin diseases 



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