206 DISEASES OF THE KIDNEYS 



of the bladder. The symptoms, as a rule, occur periodically, 

 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 re- 

 moved, treatment is useless. The remedies advised in acute 

 nephritis (diuretics, diaphoretics, laxatives) maybe 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, mouldy 

 food, sea water, etc., can also produce it. Venous congestion 

 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 kid- 

 neys. In venous congestion due to the fact that less arterial 

 blood flows through the kidneys, oliguria occurs. Albumin- 

 uria 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 later 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 urine, 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 a 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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