Studies in experimental nephritis

Abstract

It was shown by Underhill and his collaborators and was corroborated by Pearce and Ringer, that the administration of tartaric acid to animals produces a very marked nephritis.

The object of our present research was to find out how the tartaric acid, which is so closely related to chemical substances that undoubtedly play a rôle in intermediary metabolism, can give rise to nephritis.

Tartaric acid does not pass through animal membranes or animal cells very readily. This is known from the fact that the salts of tartaric when given by mouth, are but slightly absorbed, and act as cathartics. We, therefore, reasoned that, since the kidney cells are more permeable to salts than are the ordinary cells of the body, and since tartaric acid forms a salt with calcium which has a very low degree of solubility, that, in all probability, the tartaric acid, while passing through the kidney cells, combined with the calcium salts of the kidney cells, forming an insoluble calcium tartrate, which becomes precipitated in the body of the cell, and thus caused the complete destruction of the cell.

If the line of our reasoning is correct, then, the administration of oxalic acid should be followed by a similar destruction of the kidney tissues, and this is exactly what we found.

In a series of animals one gram of potassium oxalate was administered subcutaneously. The animals lived for from 24 to 48 hours, during which time the blood changes were studied. After death, autopsy was performed and microscopical examination of the organs was made by Dr. B. S. Klein, of the pathological laboratory of the Montefiore Hospital.

From his reports we may draw the conclusion that oxalic acid in small quantities produces a nephritis similar to that of tartaric acid.