Pembury in Kent, near to Tunbridge Wells, was home to possibly the first formal renal unit in the modern era. It was the initiative of Arthur Arnold Osman, first president of the UK Renal Association. Previously at Guy’s, Osman was evacuated to Pembury in 1939, and remained there after the war, though a strong Guy’s renal team developed later. He failed to establish a case for establishing a purpose-built unit at Guy’s, so he created one instead in two wards at Pembury Hospital.
The unit was founded in the pre-dialysis era in which careful fluid balance and diet were the principles of management of both AKI and CKD. Osman was a strong believer in the importance of using alkali to correct acidosis, an unorthodox view.
The plans for his 1944 unit were bespoke and fascinating – to follow.
Pembury Hospital was demolished in 2010/11 and replaced by a building that became Tunbridge Wells Hospital. The satellite dialysis unit there is named after Osman.
Cameron JS 1997. Arthur Arnold Osman ( 1893–1972): A forgotten pioneer of nephrology. Nephrol Dial Transplant (1997) 12: 1526–1530
Last Updated on January 7, 2025 by neilturn