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It is believed that persisting food faults may act in the same
way as low grade chronic infections by causing damage to the tubular
epithelium of the kidneys. Metabolic, endocrine, osseous and
perhaps other derangements can cause an imbalance of chemical
substances in the blood and urine which will assist the formation of
stone. Urinary stasis, hypervitaminosis and foreign bodies play their
part.
It is clear that we do not know all the contributory factors, or
the intimacy and delicacy of their combinations.
Summary
The consumption of a hard water is described by some authors
as the cause of various diseases such as gastric complaints including
biliousness, constipation ; also rheumatism, gout, arteriosclerosis,
goitre and stone in the kidney. I find clear evidence only in respect to
stone in the kidney and then only in certain circumstances.
There is no literature to describe any varying incidence of these
diseases in different parts of this country according to the hardness
of the water supply. It would be of interest to know if in fact such
differences do exist.
References
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Logan, W. P. D., General Register Office (1960): Studies on Medical and Population
Subjects, No. 11.
McCarrison, R. (1927) : Brit. Med. J., i, 717.
(1931): Brit. Med. J., i, 1009.
Myers, John T. (1925): J. Infect. Dis., John McCormick Institute, Vol. 36, 566,
37, 13.
Opitz, K. (1920) : Deutsch. Med. Wchmschr., 46, 1391.
Rector, F. L. (1916) : NYMed. J., 104, 1142.
Sherman, H. C. (1918) : Chemistry of Food and Nutrition, 2nd Edit., 267, NY,
Macmillan.
Thresh, J. C. (1913) : Lancet, i, 1057.
Thresh, Beale and Suckling (Ed. E. Windle Taylor): Examination of Waters and
Water Supplies, 6th Edit. (1949), 34.
Thomas, J. M. R. (1949) ; Brit. J. Urol, 21, 20.
Winsbury-White, H. P. (1954) : Stone in the Urinary Tract, 2nd Edit., 153, 156,London,
Butterworth.
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