A STUDY OF THE SEVERAL FACTORS OF ACID EXCRETION IN NEPHRITIS

Abstract

Recently acidosis in nephritis has attracted much attention among clinical investigators and many articles dealing with the subject have appeared. Considerable evidence has accumulated which leaves little doubt that in certain of the more severe types of chronic renal disease there occur mild grades of acidosis. The facts revealed in various researches which confirm the frequently observed clinical picture of acidosis in nephritis include lowered alveolar carbon dioxid tension, the decreased affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen, reduced alkalinity of the blood, increased intensity of urinary acidity (hydrogen ion concentration) and the retention of alkali by the body in cases in which the kidney is capable of the rapid elimination of an excess of alkali.¹ The purpose of the present communication is to present certain data on the acid excretion in nephritis which we have collected over a period of three years during our investigation of the process of acid