Bright's disease

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Bright's disease is a historical classification of kidney diseases that would be described in modern medicine as acute or chronic nephritis. The term is no longer used, as diseases are now classified according to their more fully understood causes.^[1][2][3]

It is typically denoted by the presence of serum albumin (blood plasma protein) in the urine, and frequently accompanied by edema (tissue particulate).

Symptoms

These common symptoms of kidney disease were first described in 1827 by noted English physician Richard Bright.^[4] It is now known that the symptoms accompany various morbid kidney conditions.^[5] Thus, the term Bright's disease is retained strictly for historical application.^[6]

The symptoms are usually severe. Back pain, vomiting and fever commonly signal an attack. Edema, varying in degree from slight puffiness of the face to an accumulation of fluid sufficient to distend the whole body, and sometimes severely restrict breathing, is very common. Urine is reduced in quantity, is of dark, smoky or bloody color, and has higher levels of albumin (albuminuria). Under the microscope, blood corpuscles and urinary casts are found in abundance.

This state of acute inflammation may severely limit normal daily activities, and if left unchecked, may lead to one of the chronic forms of Bright's disease. In many cases though, the inflammation is reduced, marked by increased urine output and the gradual disappearance of its albumen and other abnormal by-products. A reduction in edema and a rapid recovery of strength usually follows.

Treatment

Acute Bright's disease was treated with local depletion, warm baths, diuretics, and laxatives. There was no successful treatment for chronic Bright's disease, though dietary modifications were sometimes suggested.

Well-known victims of Bright's disease

• Robert Sengstacke Abbott, founder of the Chicago Defender, one of the first black daily newspapers, 1940.
• Abu Bakar of Johor, Sultan of Johor (died 1895).
• Isaac Albéniz, Spanish composer.
• Alexander III of Russia
• Paul Anderson, American strongman.
• Chester Arthur, the 21st President of the United States.
• Madame Blavatsky, founder of the Theosophical Society and author of The Secret Doctrine.
• John Breckinridge Babcock, Union Brigadier General of the American Civil War.
• Francis C. Barlow, Lawyer, governor, politician and Union general, 1896.
• Johnny Behan, Cochise County AZ Sheriff and Cow-boy sympathizer, rival of Wyatt Earp.
• Walter P. Brownlow, Tennessee Congressman, 1910.
• Mikhail Bulgakov, the twentieth-century Russian author of the classic novel The Master and Margarita, as well as various other novels and plays.
• John Bunny, American Vaudeville and silent film comedian, 1915.
• Charles Stuart Calverley, English poet and translator, 1831-84.
• George-Étienne Cartier, one of the founders of the Canadian Confederation.
• Lydia Cassatt, sister and sometimes model of artist Mary Cassatt.
• Lorne Chabot, former NHL goaltender, 1946.
• Larry Corcoran, Chicago White Stockings (the modern day Chicago Cubs) hurler in the early 1880s.
• James Creelman, Canadian yellow journalist, died of the disease in February 1915 on his way to cover World War I from the German front.
• Sarah Anne Curzon, 19th century Canadian journalist, editor and playwright, and contributor to suffrage and temperance movements.
• Louis Cyr, Canadian strongman.
• Emily Dickinson, American 19th century poet.
• Arthur Dove, American painter.
• Antonín Dvořák, Czech composer 1904 in Prague.
• Catherine Eddowes, Second to last Jack The Ripper victim, 1888.
• Arnold Ehret (1866-1922) a diet reformer, had cured himself of Bright's disease after he had been given up by medical doctors and after a nature cure could only bring him temporary relief. He discovered that fasting and diet "free of mucus and albumin", consisting mainly of fruits, cured not only his illness but other chronic disease.^[7]
• Elizabeth F. Ellet (1818-1877), American writer and poet
• William Elliott (1816-1880) Pennsylvania State Senator, member of Philadelphia Gas Trust and Union League.
• Father F.W. Faber, wrote the hymn 'Faith of Our Fathers'.
• Henry Goldsticker (1843-1888), Confederate veteran having served in the Lavaca Guards 24th Brigade, Texas State Troops.
• Sydney Greenstreet, movie star, In eight years he made 24 films, died in 1954.
• Jean Harlow, "platinum blonde" movie star of the 1930s; died in 1937.
• Florence Harding, wife of the 29th American president Warren G. Harding.
• Joe Hargiss Founder/owner Hargiss Marine Service.
• Dean Hart, 36, professional wrestler (member of the prestigious Hart family).
• Janear Hines, 30, actress, 1981: daughter of jazz pianist Earl Hines.
• Ohio Cincinnati "Nettie" Holmes. (A member of the aristocratic Holmes family of antebellum South Carolina, she married her first cousin, Christopher Edgar Holmes, who became a turpentine magnate in southern Georgia and land developer in early 20th century Florida.) Died in Lakeland, Florida, c.1935 of Bright's Disease.
• Winifred Holtby, author of South Riding.
• Colonel Prentiss Ingraham (born December 28, 1843), soldier, author, and writer of over 600 dime novels, 1904.
• Robert Wood Johnson I, a co-founder of Johnson & Johnson.
• Kitty Kiernan, fiancée of assassinated Irish revolutionary leader and Chairman of the Provisional Government Michael Collins.
• H. P. Lovecraft, science-fiction/horror author died from a combination of Bright's Disease and intestinal cancer.
• Sir Alexander MacKenzie, Scottish/Canadian explorer whose accomplishments included the first transcontinental crossing of North America north of Mexico and the discovery of the MacKenzie River, 1820.
• Rowland Hussey Macy, founder of R.H. Macy & Company (Macy's department store).
• Henry Chapman Mercer, American tile-maker, archaeologist, and collector from Doylestown, Pennsylvania.
• Father Edward McGlynn, Roman Catholic priest and social reformer from New York City, 1900.
• Billy Miske, American lightheavy and heavyweight boxer, who twice fought Jack Dempsey, 1924.
• Pat Moran, baseball player and manager, 1924.
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Austrian composer, was perhaps a sufferer.
• Chief Ouray.^[8]
• Isaac Parker, "Hanging Judge" of the American West.
• Linus Pauling, chemist and two-time Nobel laureate was successfully treated for a severe form of Bright's disease by Thomas Addis.
• Frank Parsons, American professor and father of vocational counseling, 1908.
• John F. Peto, American painter, 1907.
• Ella Merriweather Post, first wife of cereal manufacturer C.W. Post, 1912.
• Rev. Dr. Joseph Charles Price Founder and first President of Livingstone College. Noted as one of the greatest speakers of his time, 1893.
• Howard Pyle, (March 5, 1853 – November 9, 1911) American illustrator and writer
• Charles Ranhofer, chef at New York restaurant Delmonico's, 1899.
• Bass Reeves, the first black commissioned United States deputy marshal west of the Mississippi River, 1910.
• Henry Hobson Richardson, influential American architect, died of the disease in 1886.
• Gabriel Dante Rossetti, leader of the Pre-Rafaelite movement,died of the disease in 1882.
• Hannah de Rothschild.
• Alice Hathaway Lee Roosevelt, first wife of Theodore Roosevelt.
• Jessie Elizabeth Ryle, second wife of John Charles Ryle, the first Anglican bishop of Liverpool, died of the disease in 1860.
• Richard Warren Sears, founder of Sears, Roebuck and Company.
• Kate Shelley, railroad heroine, (died 1912).
• Father Edward Sorin, founder of the University of Notre Dame, 1893.
• Charles Haddon Spurgeon, English Baptist pastor in London, nicknamed "The Prince of Preachers".
• John Simmons, founder of Simmons College in Boston, Massachusetts, died of Bright's disease on August 29, 1870.
• William Temlett, Famous musical instrument maker, London, England, 1904.
• Seabury Tredwell, prominent New York City hardware merchant in the 19th Century, 1865.
• Victor Trumper, Australia's legendary batsman, one of the best "wet wicket" cricketers Australia ever produced, 1915.
• Louis Van Zelst, batboy, mascot, and good luck charm for the Philadelphia Athletics, 1915.
• Ellen Wilson, the first wife of U.S. President Woodrow Wilson.
• William Maxwell Wood, Jr. USN, engineer, 1850-c.1869, died at sea, son of William Maxwell Wood MD USN, first surgeon general of the US Navy.
• Charles Yerkes, American engineer-financier, of the Underground Electric Railways Ltd.
• Ross Youngs, Major League Baseball outfielder with the old New York Giants who died at the age of 30, elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
• Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee, Indian politician

References