271 



an concentrated nitrous solutions of calculi, of the uric 

 acid kind. To another small quantity, was added some 

 pure alkaline lixivium; which very soon took it up, became 

 coloured, sweetish, and deposited the usual silky crystalline 

 sediment, upon the addition of acetous acid. No doubt, 

 therefore, could remain, e»s to its identity, with that na- 

 turally deposited. 



And here, though irrelevant to my present object, and 

 merely with a view to excite the attention of the facul- 

 ty, may I be pei-mitted to ask, how it happens, that, in 

 the very worst kind^ of typhus fever, there is very little 

 diminution of the secretion, or excretion of the acidulous 

 phosphat of hme? as appears by the acidity of the urine, 

 lime-water, and the qttatitum of precipitate, afforded by the 

 oxalic acid: Avhilst a very considerable one of the uric 

 acid takes place, and continues so, until nearly the ter- 

 mination of the disease, when it begins gradually again 

 to manifest itself; first, by the usual tests only; but pre- 

 sently, upon the crisis taking place, in such quantity, as 

 to become insoluble; and, therefore, quickly precipitates, 

 (with some additional mixture of calcareous phosphat, and 

 animal mucilaginous matter,) under the form of our criti- 

 cal sediment or deposit? Or, are we not here, again, to 

 to admire the wise economy of the Author of nature, 

 which, by keeping up the considerable and necessary bony 

 excretion of the system, prevents the dangerous accumu- 

 lation of it, which must ensue, from its retention, dur- 

 ing the long protracted period of many fevers? I might 



M m 2 here 



