Experimental Edema (Nephrosis) in Dogs in Relation to Edema of Renal Origin in Patients

For many years a keen interest and much controversy have developed over the views of von Müller,1Munk,2Volnard and Fahr3and Epstein,4concerning the condition that they have termed nephrosis. For the past two years we have had the opportunity to study the cases of nephritis with edema in the wards and at the renal clinic of the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston. Most of these cases have shown fairly constant and comparable conditions generally regarded as typical of nephrosis. They were characterized by oliguria, albuminuria, relatively noncellular urine sediment, edema, normal renal function as measured by several tests, usually normal blood pressure, a lowered metabolism and a chemical blood picture, which consisted of low serum protein, reversed albumin-globulin ratio, increased blood cholesterol, phosphorus and fibrinogen and a decreased blood calcium. During the course of our study in the renal clinic, three cases were observed which were unusual