32 Dr. Venables on the Cystic Oxide, &c. 



evaporated, a brownish, black, brittle residue remained, which 

 burned, and gradually dissipated, on intensely heating the 

 platina before the blow-pipe, leaving a whitish stain. It was 

 insoluble in water, alcohol, the acetic, citric, and tartaric 

 acids, and in the neutral carbonate of ammonia. 



It was readily dissolved by the nitric, sulphuric, muriatic, 

 and phosphoric acids, by the pure, and the carbonates of the 

 fixed alkalies, and by lime and barytic water. The neutral 

 carbonate of ammonia precipitated it from its acid solutions, 

 and the citric, and acetic acids, precipitated it when held in 

 solution by the alkalies and their carbonates. 



Although these characters fully satisfied me that this sub- 

 stance could be nothing else than the cystic oxide, still, as I 

 had never before seen a single specimen, I sent a portion of it 

 to my friend Dr. Prout, who fully confirmed my views of its 

 nature, and at the same time, strongly urged obtaining, if pos- 

 sible, the particulars of the case, and instituting an examina- 

 tion into the properties of the urine. The result I shall now 

 proceed to detail. 



HISTORY OF THE CASE. 



The patient is a labourer's wife, residing at Mashberry, 

 in this neighbourhood, aged forty-seven, stout, corpulent 

 habit of body, sallow complexion, but in other respects healthy 

 looking. Has had several children, living and healthy. Not- 

 withstanding her general healthy appearance, she suffers very 

 much from constant pains in the loins, mostly obtuse, resembling 

 lumbago, but frequently assuming the acute character of active 

 inflammation of the kidneys, requiring copious depletion and 

 other powerful antiphlogistic measures for their relief. Mr. 

 Cremer informed me that, at such times, the inflammatory 

 affection of the kidneys assumed a very acute character. 



She has frequently passed small calculi, similar to that 

 given to me. The passing — if the calculi be of any size — is 

 generally preceded by sharp and severe pains in the loins, ex- 

 tending in the direction of the bladder, and along the course of 

 the ureter. These pains gradually become more and more 

 severe, *' till a feeling as if something dropping into the bottom 

 part of the body*," when relief is obtained ; and generally after 



* I use the patient's own words in expressing her feelings. 



