COMPARATIVE RESULTS OF VARIOUS FUNCTIONAL KIDNEY TESTS

Abstract

So long as the chief cause of death following operations on the genito-urinary tract continues to be uremia, just so long will the concern of the up-to-date conscientious surgeon be the determination of the functional efficiency of the kidneys. Disregard for this important matter too often furnishes the mark of distinction between the skilled urologist and the general surgeon, and explains the relatively high mortality rate for urologic operations in the experience of the general surgeon. Investigation recently¹revealed the alarming statistics that in twenty-six hospitals in this and neighboring states the mortality for nephrectomy and prostatectomy at the hands of general surgeons was 25.9 and 22.5 per cent., respectively, as contrasted with 7.7 and 4.33 per cent. in seven times the number of operations by eight of the world's most noted urologists. In other words, this means that in a large minority of such operations from 75 to