Diseases of the kidneys and of the spleen, hemorrhagic diseases / by H. Senator and M. Litten ; edited, with additions by James B. Herrick ; authorized translation from the German, under the editorial supervison of Alfred Stengel.

  • Hermann Senator
Date:
1905
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Diseases of the kidneys and of the spleen, hemorrhagic diseases / by H. Senator and M. Litten ; edited, with additions by James B. Herrick ; authorized translation from the German, under the editorial supervison of Alfred Stengel. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    kidneys in particular, is more sensitive than usual, and the patients, even if they are not bedfast, will do well to remain in bed or, at least, in their rooms. Whether warm baths, which have often been recommended, are of any special use to combat' the renal aifection, except in dropsy, by inducing perspiration, is difficult to say. The compensatory action of the skin, which is supposed to be stimulated, may, it is true, make up for the renal disturbance by removing water; but the specific urinary constituents, which are the chief mischief makers, are not removed in any appreciable quantity even by the most profuse sweating (see also p. 114). A disadvantage is that the continued use of warm baths to induce sweating is apt to render the skin delicate and thus increase the danger of catching cold. Such measures as alcohol rubs or dry rubbing of the skin, or possibly wet rubs with tepid or cool salt water, may, on the other hand, be safely recommended for the purpose of stimulating the activity of the skin. Similarly, the value of drinking-cures and bathing-cures is difficult to determine. It cannot be denied that patients with chronic nephritis are often benefited by such cures, but the good results are to a large extent due to the combined action of a number of favorable factors— appropriate diet and mode of life in general—and it is doubtful whether much of the benefit should be placed to the credit of the mineral water. However, as the systematic drinking of the water of certain springs, with or without baths, stimulates the secretion of urine and thus flushes out the kidneys or exerts a favorable influence on digestion and assim- ilation, patients who find it hard to escape from the excitement of ordinary life and from their occupation may be advised to go to a suitable resort at the proper time of the year. The advantage that during such cures, which have a distinct psychic influence, the patient's spirits are improved and he becomes more hopeful is not to be under- estimated. Only patients without dropsy or with only minute traces of edema and with sound heart action should be sent to, bathing-resorts. The most appropriate cases are therefore those with very chronic course which occupy the boundary between parenchymatous and indurative nephritis. The waters to be preferred are sodium chlorid waters [this would, perhaps, hardly meet with the approval of those who believe in the dechloridation treatment of nephritis, and who regard the adminis- tration of chlorids as tending to increase any tendency to edema—Ed.] , alkaline and alkaline saline waters, and saline chalybeate springs (Wies- baden, Kissengen, Rohinsch, Ems, Gleichenberg, Carlsbad, Elster, Franzenbad, Briickenau). Chalybeate waters should be given the preference for very anemic patients. In the choice of other baths the decision will have to depend on the condition of the digestive apparatus and the presence of complications, and finally on the physician's or patient's personal preference. It is always well to deprecate the extrav- agant hopes that patients usually entertain in regard to the benefits to be derived from going to a bath. When the hope of complete
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