Renal Dwarfism

The association of chronic nephritis with bone changes in adolescents is apparently so uncommon as to have escaped general attention. In 1883, Lucas 1 reported several cases of late rickets associated with albuminuria. Among these was one case of chronic nephritis associated with rachitic changes in the bones. The case was, however, not fully studied or followed. Apparently he did not recognize the case as peculiarly one of chronic nephritis in which rickets occurred. In 1911-1912, Fletcher, Miller and Parsons 2 described instances of the association of chronic interstitial nephritis with bone changes, but it was not until 1920 that Barber compiled a series of ten cases in adolescents and called the syndrome renal dwarfism. 3 This aroused considerable discussion in the British literature, but until recently the condition has failed to attract any appreciable notice in the American journals. 4 This disease as described by the British authors is characterized by an insidious