( ^^7 ) 



I fometimes obferved, upon fp reading the water very thin, a 

 great number of thin oblong particles gathered together, of the 

 fame figures as I had feen the minutest particles of the calcareous 

 matter when taken out of the perfon's finger ; but I thought, if 

 there had been more water, thofe particles would have been larger 

 and flat. 



I often repeated thefe obfervations, to fee whether I could dif- 

 cover any thing in this fait bearing an affinity with our common fait, 

 but with all my attention, I never could difcover any particles fimilar 

 to thofe of common fait. 



I again examined the water in which fome of the calcareous 

 matter had been boiled, and which had remained infufed in it a 

 whole winter, and though it was thick and turbid, I difcovered in 

 it an incredible number of minute particles, which all appeared 

 round, nor did I difcover any other faline figures than what are 

 in common rain water, except that at one time I faw two faline 

 figures in a place where the water had flood deeper than the back 

 of a knife, but was now almofl evaporated : thefe are fliewn at 

 Jig. 20, G and H. 



Upon the whole, we may conclude, that the fait of which the 

 calcareous matter in the limbs of gouty people does for the mofl 

 part confifl, is of fuch a hard and tough fubftance, that though it 

 be boiled, or fuflered to remain in water a long time, the faline 

 particles it contains will fcarcely, if at all, liquefy or be diflblved : 

 and hence we may conclude, as before mentioned, that it is im- 

 poflible for phyficians or furgeons to diflblve, difcufs, or dilfipate 

 thofe knots or fwellings which arife in the joints of gouty people, 

 and are commonly called Chalk Stones, by any kind of plaifter or 

 fomentation ; but that the only thing which promifes any fuccefs 

 in this way, muft be by burning the part in the manner pra6tifed 

 by the Chinefe, who for this purpofe ufe what they call Moxa. 



This is a certain preparation ufed in the Eaft, and mentioned by 



Vol. II. S 



