Ourselves, our food, and our physic / [Benjamin Ridge].

  • Ridge, Benjamin
Date:
1884
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Ourselves, our food, and our physic / [Benjamin Ridge]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    34/332 (page 14)
    The Kidneys.—The object of these valuable organs is to remove so much excess of the uric acid constituents of the blood as is not required by the system generally, or the parts below them. It is said that the kidneys purify all the blood of the body, this can only be in a degree, as urea and uric acid are essential elements of the blood. In this duty the kidneys act as regulators. They never cease their secreting action, but as the receiving parts in them, called the pelves, are so small in comparison to the quantity of urine made, a duct runs down from each kidney into a receptacle called the bladder. These ducts are always full, the pressure of fresh urine from above forces the whole contents of these tubes, and so the blad¬ der is filled drop by drop. It is supposed that the whole mass of urine is secreted by the kidneys from the blood, but this is impossible. The urea and their salts are excreted from the blood, but the large fluid mass which holds them in solution comes through the fat which surrounds the kidneys, and permeates into their receptacles or pelves and so washes the salts out of them. If it were not for this arrangement they would remain where they were deposited. Excess of any inorganic fluids in the body thus finds its way into the kidneys and thence into the bladder. When urine is largely charged with albumen, instead of its coming from the blood, as is sup¬ posed, it is a product of the inorganic elements. Probably very little indeed is excreted by the kidneys themselves. The inorganic fluids going into the kidneys either as natural diluents or as excesses to be got rid of, follow the same law of osmose as the new elements of food do through the membranes of the small intestines, and the gases through those of the large intestines. The Bladder.—The use of this organ is to receive the urine as above described, to be retained or voided accord¬ ing to the will and convenience of every individual. As it is a purely excrementitious fluid the quantity and quality varies according to many circumstances. Excess of uric or other salts will coalesce and form various kinds of calculi or stones. The mucous membrane of the bladder may get into a degenerative state when a species of catarrh will ensue, similar to that of the nose or throat,