FOUNDATIONS OF MODERN NEPHROLOGY

Very early accounts of acute kidney injury appeared in 1821: John Abercrombie, Ischuria Renalis.

But the pivotal UK figure in the 19^th century who transformed our understanding of kidney disease was Richard Bright (1789-1858). He made the observation (now so obvious to us that we may easily forget its impact) that proteinuria and dropsy (i.e. oedema) were associated with kidney disease.

• Before Bright – UK observations that may have contributed to Bright’s interest and insights.

• Richard Bright – founder of nephrology, and perhaps the first renal ‘unit’ (ward).

• Following Bright – early followers who extended Bright’s findings and contributed to wider appreciation of renal disease

In the 1870s it first became possible to assess blood pressure in a clinically meaningful way, led by the work of Akbar Mohamed, also from Guy’s Hospital.

See also

Presentation on 19th century UK nephrology given by Stewart Cameron in 2015 (ppt file).

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1900-1940 UK nephrology

Last Updated on December 4, 2025 by neilturn