DISEASES OF THE KIDNEYS AND BLADDER.
KIDNEYS.—The kidneys are deeply placed and cannot be felt or distinctly identified when normal. They are most accessible to pressure just below the last rib, behind. The right kidney usually lies lower than does the left, but even then, the lower part of this kidney is an inch above the upper part of the hip bone, or an inch above a line drawn around the body parallel with the navel. The kidney is about four inches long. The long axis of the kidneys corresponds to that of the twelfth rib; on an average the left kidney lies one-half inch higher than the right.
[Illustration: Kidneys, Ureters and Bladder.]
As stated before, each kidney is four inches long, two to two and one-half in breadth, and more than one inch thick. The left is somewhat longer, though narrower, than the right. The kidney is covered with what is called a capsule. This can be easily stripped off. The structure of the kidney is quite intricate. At the inner border of each kidney there is an opening called the pelvis of the kidney, and leading from this, small tubes penetrate the structure of the kidney in all directions. These tubes are lined with special cells. Through these tubes go the excretions (urine) from the body of the kidneys, to the pelvis, and from the pelvis through the ureters, sixteen inches long, to the bladder.
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KIDNEY TROUBLE. MOTHERS' REMEDIES.—1. Kidney Trouble and Inflammation of the Bladder, Cornsilk for.—"Get cornsilk and make a good strong tea of it by steeping slowly, and take one ounce three or four times a day. This acts well on the kidneys, and is a harmless remedy to use."
2. Kidney Trouble, Flaxseed and Lemons for.—"Make a tea by placing the flaxseed in a muslin or linen bag, and suspend it in a dish of water, in the proportion of about four teaspoonfuls for each quart of water. After allowing the seeds to soak for several hours remove the same and tea will be ready for use. The addition of a little lemon juice will improve the flavor. Give in quantities as may be found necessary."
3. Kidney Trouble, Temporary Relief for.—"Rub witchhazel on stomach and back; use freely." This is an old-time remedy, and can be relied upon to at least give temporary relief. The witch hazel has a very soothing effect upon the parts affected.
4. Kidney and Bladder Trouble, Buchu Leaves for.—"Get five cents' worth of buchu leaves at any drug store, and make a good strong tea of it by steeping. This acts nicely on the kidneys. This remedy is easily prepared, and is not expensive."
5. Kidney Trouble, Common Rush Root for.—"Take a handful of the root of common rush in one and one-half pints of water, boil down to one pint. Dose:—One tablespoonful every two or three hours. For a child ten years, give one teaspoonful four times a day. For a child of four to six years, one-half teaspoonful four times a day."
6. Kidney Trouble, Effective and Easy Cure for.—
"Fluid Extract of Cascara Sagrada 1 ounce
Fluid Extract of Buchu 2 ounces
Fluid Extract of Uva Ursi 2 ounces
Tincture Gentian Comp 1 ounce
Simple Syrup 1 pint
Mix the above ingredients and give a teaspoonful four times a day. This is a very good remedy, as the cascara sagrada acts on the bowels and the buchu and uva ursi acts on the kidneys, carrying off all the impurities that would otherwise be retained in the system and cause trouble."
7. Kidney Trouble, Sheep-Sorrel Excellent for.—"Make a decoction of sheep sorrel, one ounce to pint of water; boil, strain and cool. Give wineglassful, three or four times a day. If necessary apply the spinal ice bag to kidneys." The sheep sorrel is a good kidney remedy, and the ice bag by continuous application will relieve the congestion.
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MOVABLE KIDNEY. (Floating Kidney. Nephroptosis).—Causes.—This condition is usually acquired. It is more common in women than in men, possibly due to lacing and the relaxations of the muscles of the abdomen from pregnancy. It may come from wounds, lifting too heavy articles, emaciation.
Symptoms.—They are often absent. There may be pain or dragging sensation in the loins, or intercostal neuralgia; hysteria, nervousness, nervous dyspepsia and constipation are common. The kidney can be felt. A dull pain is caused by firm pressure. Sometimes there are attacks of severe abdominal pain, with chill, fever, nausea, vomiting and collapse. The kidney becomes large and tender. The urine shows a reddish deposit and sometimes there is blood and pus in the urine.
Treatment.—If the symptoms are not present, it is best for the patient not to know the true condition, as nervous troubles frequently follow a knowledge of its presence. If the symptoms are present, replace the kidney while the patient is lying down and retain it by a suitable belt. Also treat the nervous condition. If the symptoms are of the severe kind an operation may be needed to fasten the kidney in its proper condition. This is quite generally successful, and does away with much suffering and pain. The pain may be so severe at times as to require morphine. Sometimes the pain is due to uric acid or oxalates in the urine. For this regulate the diet.
Diet for Movable Kidney.—The diet should be such as to produce fat. Milk is excellent where it is well borne; if not well borne give easily digested meats, such as chicken, roast beef, broiled steak and lamb chop; fish of various kinds and vegetables, such as spinach, carrots, asparagus and cauliflower; of fats, butter, cream, and chocolate; for constipation, cider, buttermilk, grape-juice, fruits and honey.
ACUTE CONGESTION OR HYPEREMIA OF THE KIDNEYS.—This occurs at the beginning of acute nephritis; in acute infectious diseases, after taking turpentine, chlorate of potash, cantharides, carbolic acid, alcohol, etc.; after one kidney has been removed.
Kidney.—The kidney is enlarged, dark red, while the covering is very tight (tense). The urine is scanty, and there is increased specific gravity (normal is 1015 to 1020) and contains albumin and a few casts.
Treatment.—The cause should always be removed if possible. Rest in bed, and as a diet use only milk; if the congestion is bad, use dry cupping over the kidneys and inject large quantities of hot normal salt solution in the bowels. Hot fomentations of wormwood or smartweed are of benefit. If you can get the patient into a sweat the congestion will be somewhat relieved by it.
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CHRONIC CONGESTION OF THE KIDNEYS. Causes.—Diseases of other organs and obstruction to the return of the circulation in the veins. Cirrhosis of the liver causes it. The kidney is enlarged dark red, the urine is diminished, with albumin and casts and sometimes blood.
Treatment.—Remove the cause if possible. Fluid diet, like milk, broths, etc. Dry cupping or sweating materials can be used. Rest in bed if possible. The bowels should be kept open, and the kidneys should rest.
BLOOD IN THE URINE. (Haematuria). Causes.—The congestion of the kidneys, pernicious malaria, etc., nephritis, tuberculosis, kidney stones. The urine looks smoky and dark, or bright red.
Treatment.—This depends upon the cause. The patient must rest in bed and the kidneys should not be stimulated. Cold applications to the loins. Hot applications would injure.
URAEMIC TOXAEMIA.—This means poison in the blood occurring in acute and chronic nephritis (inflammation of the kidneys). The cause is unknown. The disease is acute and chronic.
ACUTE URAEMIA. Symptoms.—The onset may be sudden or gradual. The headache is severe, usually on the back top of head (occipital) and extending to the neck; there is persistent vomiting with nausea and diarrhea attending it. This may be due to inflammation of the colon. Difficulty in breathing, which may be constant or comes in spells. This is worse at night, when it may resemble asthma; fever if persistent, is usually slight until just before death. General convulsions may occur. There may be some twitching of the muscles of the face and of other muscles. The convulsions may occur frequently. The patient becomes abnormally sleepy, before the attack, and remains so. One-sided paralysis may occur. Sudden temporary blindness occurs sometimes. There may be noisy delirium or suicidal mania. Coma (deep sleep) may develop either with or without convulsions or delirium, and is usually soon followed by them; sometimes by chronic uraemia or recovery.
CHRONIC URAEMIA.—This develops most often in cases of Arterio-sclerosis or chronic interstitial nephritis, (one kind of Bright's disease). The symptoms are less severe than those of acute uraemia, but similar, and of gradual onset, sometimes with symptoms of the acute attack. There is often constant headache and difficult breathing; the tongue is brown and dry, sometimes there is nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sleeplessness, cramps of the legs and much itching may be present. It may last for years. Death may occur when the patient is in coma (deep sleep). There may have been mania, muscular twitchings or convulsions before death.
Treatment.—Found under "Chronic Interstitial Nephritis."