Metastasis of Melanoma to the Kidneys: Historical Notes

Abstract

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defined “melanoma” as a tumor showing colored pigment characteristically and that it entered the English Language in 1838. Accordingly, this report sought to harness the historical data available before 1900. To this end, a famous book on the spread of tumors in the human body was consulted. And, so was a reprint containing early studies of pigment biology before 1900. Unfortunately, these approaches were wanting as regards the expected materials. Accordingly, my collection of the Transactions of the Pathological Society of London, which began publishing in 1846-48, was searched. The findings are the subject of this paper.