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The Wilms tumor is the most common malignant growth affecting the kidneys of infants and children. It is estimated that tumors of the kidney comprise approximately 25 per cent of all malignant tumors occurring in childhod. In 1828, Gairdner1reported the first case of sarcoma of the kidney in an infant. Eberth2in 1872 first described this type of tumor and suggested that it is derived from remnants of the wolffian body. In 1875 Cohnheim3and in 1886 Ribbert4stated that the tumor has its beginning in aberrant germ plasma from the primitive segments. Weigert5in 1876 stated the belief that the tumor is a congenital adenocarcinoma of the kidney, probably derived from misplaced cell rests. Osler6in 1879 described 2 cases of striated myosarcoma of the kidney, but he offered no theory as to the origin of the growths. Brosin7in 1884
Charles C. Higgins (Sat,) studied this question.