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.