}f K EFFECTS OF MAGNESIA ON URIC AC1I>. 



right kidney and ureter. In the course of the night he 

 passed a smnll uric calcalus. Having had recourse to sodu 

 water with little benefit, he took twenty grains of magnesia 

 every night. His urine not being^quite free from red sand 

 m the course of three weeks, he took an equal dose of mag- 

 ucbia every (norniug, and in a month after this his urine was 

 perfectly liealthy. In about three months the uric acid 

 again made its appearance in the form of red crystalline 

 sand, and was again removed by the use of the magnesia 

 night and morning for three weeks, 

 Casc4«. CaselY* A gentleman, aged 56, after recovering from a 



severe fit of the gout, voided constantly a large quantity of 

 mucus in his urine, a symptom which he hud never before 

 noticed. There was also, occasionally, abundance of red 

 sand, consisting principally of uric acid, but he had never 

 voided a calculus. 



His bioniach was uncommonly weak, he was often affected 

 witli heartburn, and un almost constant pain in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the right kidney. He had been in the habit 

 of taking tincture of bark, and other spirituous medicines, 

 from a belief, that the pain in his right side arose from 

 . I , gout in the stomach. 



He bad already attempted to use the alkalis, which had 

 produced such unpleasant sensations in the stomach, that 

 he could not be prevailed upon to try them again in any 

 form. 



Under these circumstances, he readjly acceded to a new 

 plan of treatment. He was directed to omit the use of spi- 

 rituous medicines, and take twenty grains of magnesia, 

 three times a day, in water; but this operating too power- 

 fully upbn the bowels, the same quantity of magnesia nas 

 taken twice a day only, with an addition of live drops of 

 latidannm to each dose. 



This plan was pursued without intermission for three 

 weeks, and he received considerable benefit, as far as con- 

 cerned the state of the stomacli, and pain in the region of 

 the kidney. The urine, which was examined once a week, 

 was also, on the whole improved, but it occasionally de- 

 posited a very copious sediaient, consisting of uric acid, 

 With a variable proportion of mucous secretion. 



After 



