Object numberRCSHC/P 387
Scientific nameHomo sapiens
CollectionHunterian
CategoryWet preparations
Object nameKidney, echinococcosis, Cases and Observations, Mounted wet tissue
DescriptionA left kidney sectioned to show the numerous cysts both within and without the tissue.
The largest cyst is seen within the kidney, while two prominent smaller cysts are seen on the inferior surface. Although the original diagnosis, following histology, was of papilliferous adenoma it is now believed that the changes seen in this kidney were produced by hydatids.
The patient in this case was Robert Boyne Home, father of John Hunter's wife, Anne Home.
Production date 1786
Preparator
Owner/user
Patient/subject
presented
Related objectsRCSHC/P 388
Physical Location
Location
Not on public display: contact museum for access conditions
Physical Information
Physical descriptionWet preparation of tissue mounted in an oval glass jar with glass lid.
Materialglass (material), alcohol (70%), silicone
Dimensions
whole height: 164 mm
whole width: 112 mm
whole depth: 68 mm
whole weight: 1010 g
whole width: 112 mm
whole depth: 68 mm
whole weight: 1010 g
Bibliography
SourceProger 1966-1972
Vol. 1, pages 264-7.
NotesText taken from Stanley & Paget (1846-9), and Paget (1882-5).
TranscriptSection of a left kidney, in which there are numerous cysts. Most of them are on the surface of the kidney, but the largest, which is an inch in diameter, is in its interior. The surface of the kidney is granular, and near one end of it are two small, prominent tumours. Histologically the tumours are papilliferous adenomata.
The specimen was taken from the body of Mr Robert Home, the father of Sir Everard Home.
SourceHunter Casebooks
Cases & Dissections, No. 25, pages 548-50.
NotesThe Case of Mr Home, July 1783. (Also in Proger 1966-72).
TranscriptHe was attacked with a kind of Fit similar to an Apoplexy: he lost in some degree the use of one side as also his sight. His memory was very much impaired; however, in time he got tolerably well; all the powers being again nearly restored.
July 1784. He was again attacked with a similar stroke. He lost intirely his sight; felt a small numbness in one hand; lost almost intirely his Memory.
This last was productive of some curious effects:- it brought him in a great many circumstances to the state of Brute, or at least what I can conceive that state is, respecting reasoning.
The total loss of sight, with almost intire loss of Memory produced a very curious effect: he lost intirely the rememberance of Light, and did not annex any Idea to Light, although he would say that he had not seen you for some time, meaning you had not been there for some time*.
* This expression arose from the very same Idea to those of a blind man who is conscious of being Blind. In the Man conscious of his blindness, it is a Word of Course, keeping up to common language, but knowing the impropriety of it when he thinks of it: and in the other he used the same language from habit also, but without the probability of knowing that he is wrong.
The appearances upon opening the Body of Mr Home.
On sawing through the Skull, it was found very difficult to avoid cutting through the Dura Mater; and when sawing through its back part, immediately upon wounding the Dura Mater with the saw, there came out a considerable quantity of water, which was only a little tinged with blood. A bason was immediately put under it to collect it.
The Dura mater was obliged to be taken off with the Skull, for it rather tore than separated from it. Nothing remarkable appeared on the external Surface of the Brain. On cutting off the upper part of the two Hemispheres of the brain we observed that the medullary substance was not so white as common; [and] had a brownish Cast. The corpus Callosum was flat, and appeared loose, on cutting through it longitudinally into the right lateral ventricle, we found the ventricles large, as also the additamentum; but not the least drop of water in it. The fornix was detached from the Thalami through its whole length, and the plexus, at this attachment appeared loose. The left lateral ventricle exactly like the right in every circumstance.
All those above mentioned parts were so detached as to appear as if they had been already dissected and put together again.
The thalami nervorum opticorum were more rounded than common: their two flat surfaces which are commonly in contact with each other, were at some distance, and rounded off the upper edge; so there were no edges to them, and the cortical union between them appeared (from this alteration of form) to be at their upper part instead of being low down between them. When the whole Brain was taken out, we observed that the under surface of the posterior lobes of the cerebrum which lie on the transverse ligaments of the Dura Mater were of a yellow Colour with a longitudinal hollow in them; and the Pia mater there very loose, like a collapsed bag or membrane. On cutting through this loose membrane of the right side, we got into a bag, and which seemed to lead to between two portions of the Brain, and on putting my finger into the additamentum, it was led into this bag. To ascertain the true state of these parts, I examined the left side with more attention; and on cutting thro' the membrane of the left side, I found that I also got into a bag; but the bottom of this, or that surface next to the brain, but it was the two portions of the Brain, uniting them. I then, as before, passed my finger into the additmentum of this side; and my finger immediately appeared on the other side of this membrane between the two portions of the Brain.
I examined carefully to see if there was any communication between the addiamentum and this bag through the membrane and found, in the partition between the two, a small hole: but I could not say whether this had or had not been made in the time of the examination; but I am rather inclinable to believe it was not, from circumstances as [that] shall be mentioned. These bags appeared to be the pia mater; but whether they were formed in its doubling, or some adventitious membrane forming a bag, I cannot say. The quantity of water, in the whole, might be about Six ounces. The Brain, upon the whole, was rather softer than usual, although not much.
The questions[s] here that naturally arise, are, what are these bags, and did the lateral ventricles communicate with them? - I think when every circumstance is considered, we must supposed they did; for, first, there was a great deal of water spilt previous to the removal of the Skull [?], which certainly came from those bags. Secondly, the three first ventricles were very large, and yet contained no water, therefore it is reasonable to suppose that the whole water of the ventricles had escaped through those bags. But another question arises. By what cause were those Bags formed? Were they formed by the distention of the ventricles, and then bursting at those parts, so that the water came in contact with the inside of the pia mater, then forming a Bag? Or did an extravasation of blood take place at those two parts, either in the doubling of the Pia Mater, or between it and the Brain, and then a communication between these bags and the Ventricles were formed by the extravasation, and that the distention of the Ventricles was rather an effect of this than a cause of the first?
The gall-bladder had a stone in it about the size of a common Nutmeg; and it was so contracted over the Stone as just to contain it.
The right kidney had a large Hydatid attached to its lower end and outer edge, which might contain more than a pint of a bloody fluid. There was also some smaller ones, with a tumour formed on the end of the Kidney. The left kidney had two smaller tumours placed [situated] on its external surface, with some small Hydatids. No calculi in the Pelvis. The ureters of the natural size.
There were found in the Urinary Bladder, Fourteen Calculi; two of them nearly of the size of Nutmegs; the other twelve much smaller; - most of them had flat sides terminating in rounded angles; and being of a prismatic figure, having three sides with two ends. Two large ones had the appearance, in one part of each, as if a piece of the external layer had been separated and gone, and that the sharp edges were new rounded by new matter having been laid on them.
SourceClift 1830 Part 1
NotesCatalogue number 929
TranscriptA kidney with spurious hydatids on its surface; together with tubercles, apparently scrofulous, projecting from it.