Nephritis

[rolt968]

Seeing that one of today's new CWGC  commemorations died of nephritis reminded me that I have been meaning to ask about the condition for some time.

 

I know that nephritis is an inflammation of the kidneys and not much else. Can anyone give me more details, particularly about diagnosis, treatment and survival rates and times at the time of WW1?

 

The obvious candidate for one of the mystery men on a war memorial died of chronic nephritis aged 33 in September 1916. He was then the "head boots at hotel". I wonder if he had served in something, possibly even the Merchant Navy and been invalided out.

 

(Unfortunately the death certificate is Welsh and only gives the cause of death not how long the man had been suffering from the condition which a Scottish one would normally do.)

 

RM

 

RM

[TGM]

Recommend reading this freely available article by Atenstaedt:

 

Quote

Kidney Int. 2006 Aug;70(4):635-40. Epub 2006 Jul 5.

The medical response to trench nephritis in World War One.

Atenstaedt RL¹.

Author information

1

National Public Health Service for Wales and Institute of Medical and Social Care Research (IMSCaR), University of Wales, Bangor, UK. Robert.Atenstaedt@nphs.wales.nhs.uk

Abstract

Around the 90-year anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, it is important to remember the international effort that went into responding to the new diseases, which appeared during the First World War, such as trench nephritis. This condition arose among soldiers in spring 1915, characterized by breathlessness, swelling of the face or legs, headache, sore throat, and the presence of albumin and renal casts in urine. It was speedily investigated by the military-medical authorities. There was debate over whether it was new condition or streptococcal nephritis, and the experts agreed that it was a new condition. The major etiologies proposed were infection, exposure, and diet (including poisons). Research pointed to the origin of the disease as being infective rather than toxic, but no definite cause was discovered. A number of labels were given to the disease, including war nephritis. However, trench nephritis was the one used most widely. Trench nephritis was a serious problem for the Allies, leading to 35 000 casualties in the British and 2000 in the American forces. There were also hundreds of deaths. The condition was treated in line with pre-war regimens designed for acute nephritis. No significant preventative methods were implemented for trench nephritis, as there was no consensus regarding causation. The medical response to trench nephritis was largely ineffective, with medical commentators recognizing that there had been a lack of medical progress.

 

See also his book: The Medical Response to the Trench Diseases in World War One

and British medicine in the war, 1914-1917, being essays on problems of medicine, surgery, and pathology arising among the British armed forces engaged in this war and the manner of their solution ..

 

Will try to give a more considered reply later, but I'm sure others will give you some direction in the meantime.

 

nephritis.pdf

Edited 11 January , 2018 by TGM

[ss002d6252]

7 minutes ago, rolt968 said:

Seeing that one of today's new CWGC  commemorations died of nephritis reminded me that I have been meaning to ask about the condition for some time.

 

I know that nephritis is an inflammation of the kidneys and not much else. Can anyone give me more details, particularly about diagnosis, treatment and survival rates and times at the time of WW1?

 

The obvious candidate for one of the mystery men on a war memorial died of chronic nephritis aged 33 in September 1916. He was then the "head boots at hotel". I wonder if he had served in something, possibly even the Merchant Navy and been invalided out.

 

(Unfortunately the death certificate is Welsh and only gives the cause of death not how long the man had been suffering from the condition which a Scottish one would normally do.)

 

RM

 

RM

Vol 1 of the diseases books in the medal history has a whole chapter on the issue. Send me  a PM if you want a copy.

In Sep 1916 when he died the rate was some 37.86 per 100,00 men, it hit over 100 men per 100,00 by the year end in France. The writer puts this down to the massive increase in respiratory illness over the last few months of 1916 and the subsequent appearance of nephritis.

Craig

[MaureenE]

30 minutes ago, ss002d6252 said:

Vol 1 of the diseases books in the medal history has a whole chapter on the issue. 
 

Available online 

Medical Services: Diseases of the War Volume I.  Archive.org

 

Cheers

Maureen

 

[rolt968]

Thank you both very much. I have downloaded the book and will read it carefully.

 

RM

[Andy Wade]

One of our local men was invalided out with Nephritis caused by trench fever and exposure in the trenches (according to his Army medical record) and attributed to his war service.

He died of kidney failure 15 months later, along with I.F.C.P. we managed to get him accepted in 2012 and a CWGC headstone added to his grave in 2015:

http://menofworth.wikispaces.com/Moore%2C+Herbert