"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.
[KIDNEY AND BLADDER 155]
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.
[156 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
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.