Royal Society. 137 



A paper was read, entitled " On the Solution of Urinary Calculi 

 in dilute Saline Fluids, at the temperature of the body, by the aid of 

 Electricity." By H. Bence Jones, M.D., F.R.S., Physician to St. 

 George's Hospital. 



\n 1848 the author first attempted to dissolve calculi in a solution 

 of nitrate of potash, by placing them at the same time between the 

 electrodes of a galvanic battery ; an effect was produced on the uric 

 acid at the negative pole, but no very decided result was obtained. 

 The experiments were resumed during the last summer. 



The results with uric acid calculi may be thus arranged. The 

 action was chiefly at the negative electrode. 



Power of 



Strength and temperature of solution. Battery. Result. 



o grs. 



Saturated solution of nitre 212 ... 10 ... 0^ dissolved. 



i nitre, i water 109 ... 5 ... 11 



„ 101 ... 10 ... 14 



„ 100 ... 10 ... 16 



„ 106 ... 10 ... 12 



„ , 98 ... 20 pair 27^ 



ime calculi were then tried. 



■J nitre, I water .-.. 90 ... 5 ... 0^ dissolved. 



„ 104 ... 10 ... 2 



In sulphate of soda 101 ... 10 ... 2 



In common salt 102 ... 10 ... 1 



4: nitre, f water 108 ... 20 ... 6 



^' ^19 {^soda'"'^^..!'.^?.!^^^''.?!}"^ - 20 ... 1 dissolved. 



7 ^15 f I nitre with bichromate of 1,,, gn 2 



\ potash J 



i nitre HO ... 20 ... 2^ 



4rnitre 92 ... 20 ... 2^ 



„ 100 ... 40 ... 5 



Hence oxalate of lime calculi can be only very slowly dissolved in 

 a solution of nitrate of potash, which acts far more energetically on 

 uric acid calculi. The action is at least four times greater on uric 

 acid calculi. Oxalates with urates, and oxalates with phosphates, 

 were found to be far more rapidly acted on than oxalate of lime alone. 



Pbosphatic calculi were then taken. A piece of hard phosphate of 

 lime gave 



Duration of Strength and tempera- Power of 



Experiments. experiment. ture of solution. battery. Result, 



h m grs. 



1 7i :^ nitre, f water 102 ... 10 pair ... 15 



2. with fusible calculus 1 13 „ „ 96 ... 20 ... 31 



The action was chiefly at the positive electrode. 



Experiments with marble. 



1 5i :| nitre 104 ... 10 ... 27i 



2 6^ {*"sod]^^^^.'.^!}l^l - 1^ - 4* 



From these experiments, then, the following conclusions are drawn : 

 — From two to nine grains of uric acid calculus can be dissolved in an 

 hour in a neutral dilute solution of nitre at the temperature of the 

 body, whilst in the same time from two to twenty- five grains of 

 phosphatic calculus can be dissolved. However, only from half a 

 grain to two grains of oxalate of lime can be removed by the same 

 Phil May. S. 4. Vol. 5. No. 30. Feb. 1853. L 



