The surgical aspects of nephritis have led to extensive discussion, and but little agreement exists with regard to the types that are not clearly surgical. Wide differences of opinion are also manifest among those who have given the most time and attention to the study of nephritis in general. The accumulated literature on the subject is monumental; much of it, unfortunately, is confusing, and often even the fundamentals are the subject of controversy. Recently, however, articles have been published that help to clear up some of the moot questions.
Historically, the chief point of interest with reference to nephritis is the profound knowledge of the various phases of the disease exhibited by Richard Bright,1 one of a long line of brilliant workers in Guy's Hospital, London. In 1827 and again in 1836 Bright, in epoch marking papers on edema and on albuminuria, pointed out that fundamentally there are two