21?

INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEYS.

Symptoms. — There is a sharp pain about the region of the kidneys, with some degree of fever, and a stupor or dull pain in thethigh of the affected side. The urine is at first clear, and after-wards of a reddish colour ; but in the worst kind of the disease itgenerally continues pale, is passed with difficulty, and commonlyin small quantities at a time. The patient feels great uneasinesswhen he endeavours to walk or sit upright. He lies with mostease on the affected side, and has generally a nausea or vomit-ing, resembling that which happens in the colic.

This disease, however, may be distinguished from the colic bythe pain being seated farther back, and by the difficulty of passingurine, with which it is constantly attended.

Regimen. — Every thing of a heating or stimulating nature is tobe avoided. The food must be thin and light ; as panado, smallbroths, with mild vegetables, and the like. Emollient and thinliquors must be plentifully drunk ; as clear whey, or balm-teasweetened with honey, decoctions of marshmallow roots, with bar-ley and liquorice, &c. The patient, notwithstanding the vomiting,must constantly keep sipping small quantities of these or other di-luting liquors. Nothing so safely and certainly abates the inflam-mation, and expels the obstructing cause, as copious dilution. Thepatient must be kept easy, quiet, and free from cold, as long asany symptoms of inflammation remain.

Medicine. — Bleeding is generally necessary, especially at thebeginning. Ten or twelve ounces may be let from the arm or footwith a lancet ; and if the pain and inflammation continue, the op-eration may be repeated in twenty-four hours, especially if the pa-tient be of a full habit. Leeches, may likewise be applied to th«seat of pain, and to the haemorrhoidal veins, as a discharge fromthese will greatly relieve the yiatveut.

Cloths dipped in wann water, or bladders filled with it, must b«applied as near as possible to the part affected, and renewed asthey grow aool. If the bladders be filled with a decoction of mal-lows and camomile flowers, to which a little saffron is added, andmixed with about a third part of new milk, it will be still mortebeneficial. Oleaginous cathartics of castor oil,* manna, or oil ofalmonds, with emollient clysters, ought frequently to be adminis-tered ; and if the latter do not open the body, a little salt and hon-ey, or manna, may be added to them.

The same course is to be followed where gravel or a stone islodged in the kidney ; but when the gravel or stone is separatedfrom the kidney, and lodges in the ureter,f it will be proper, be-

* Take Castor Oil, . 1 ounce.

Mucilage of Gum Arabic,Fennel Water, of each, h ounce.Tincture of Jalap, J drachm.

Make an opening draught.

Take Manna, A ounce.

Tartrate of Potash, 3 dradbms.

Warm Water, 1£ ounce.

Tincture of Senna, 1 drachm.Make a draught.

I The Ureters are two long and slender canals, one on each side, which carry theurine fforo the basin of the kidneys to the bladder. They are sometimes obstructedby troall pecos of L,.ivel falling down from the kidneys, and lodging in them.