226 DISEASES OF THE KIDNEYS 



of the bladder. The symptoms, as a rule, occur periodi- 

 cally and very often lead to death, which may follow the 

 first convulsive attack or after repeated attacks. 



Treatment. — Unless the cause of the retention can be 

 removed, treatment is useless. The remedies advised in 

 acute nephritis (diuretics, diaphoretics, laxatives) may ' be 

 employed. 



CONGESTION OF THE KIDNEYS. HYPEREMIA. 



Definition. — ^Hyperemia of the kidneys may be either 

 arterial or venous. Arterial hyperemia is the first stage of 

 nephritis (see this). It is caused by such irritant drugs as 

 cantharides, turpentine, or gasoline. Acrid plants, moldy 

 food, sea-water, etc., can also produce it. Venous con- 

 gestion is usually due to organic heart disease and more 

 rarely to pulmonary emphysema. 



Symptoms. — The principal symptom of arterial congestion 

 is polyuria, with its attending increased thirst. Sometimes 

 the patient shows a stiff gait and sensitiveness over the 

 kidneys. In venous congestion, due to the fact that less 

 arterial blood flows through the kidneys, oliguria occurs. 

 Albuminuria may also be a symptom, due to the fact that 

 the nutrition of the renal epithelial cells suffers. 



Diagnosis. — ^Arterial congestion can be differentiated from 

 diabetes insipidus only by the fact that it is temporary 

 while the latter is chronic. Diabetes mellitus, on account of 

 its extreme rarity in animals, need hardly be taken into 

 account. Venous hyperemia is differentiated from nephritis 

 by the lu-ine, which contains very little albumin and no 

 cell elements. The patient is at the same time suffering 

 from some chronic heart or lung disease. 



Treatment. — Arterial congestion disappears as soon as the 

 causes are removed. Otherwise the treatment is similar to 

 that of acute nephritis. Venous hyperemia can rarely be 

 removed, as the basic disease is usually incurable. 



RENAL HEMORRHAGE. 



Etiology. — ^Hemorrhage from the kidneys may result from 

 traumatism or the worm aneurysm, or it may be embolic in 



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