Classifications of the so-called hematogenous inflammations of the kidney, commonly grouped as Bright's disease, have been made from five standpoints: 1. Etiological; 2, pathogenetic or histogenetic; 3, functional or physiological; 4, clinical (according to the symptom complex); 5, descriptive (a) according to the topography or (b) according to the predominating anatomical changes.
Attempts at correlation of several of these principles have also been made, particularly the clinical and anatomical and the etiological and pathogenetic classifications have been closely identified. But the difficulties and complications which are associated with these imperfect combinations have recently led to a desire for simple and uniform methods of classification.
An effort will be made in the following lines to present a critical review of these classifications, the evidence which has been advanced in their support and to draw attention to some erroneous anatomical and histological conceptions which have acquired importance in the discussion