27T 



strength of reasoning peculiarly his own,) " Whatever may 

 " be the result of your future inquiries, can you, for a 

 " moment, imagine, that physicians of the first eminence, 

 " and of all nations, would still consent to tread in the 

 " path of empiricism, by persevering in the use of this 

 " remedy, if they were not retained in it, by the irresist- 

 " ible evidence of a successful practice and observation? 

 " or that the late Dr. Smyth, a gentleman of great dis- 

 " cernment, and extensive knowledge, would, so generally 

 " and promiscuously, prescribe lime-water, in gout and 

 " gravel, if he were not satisfied of its efficacy, as well 

 *' as of the great similarity of these complaints?" 



EXPERIMENT I. 



To four ounces of healthy urine, was added one ounce 

 of lime-water. A similar quantity of urine was set aside 

 as a standard; both in close vessels: temperature A'^arying 

 from 60 to 75 degrees, being in August, 1799. In the 

 'first, no sign of the slightest separation, or crystallization 

 of uric acid, after three, five, or seven days. Some ob- 

 servable in the standard, after the third day, which en- 

 creased in quantity to the fifth. 



EXPERIMENT II. 



To the same quantity of urine, Avas added half an ounce 



only of lime-water, Avith the same appearances as before. 



VOL. X.' N n No 



