283 



EXPERIMENT XHI. 



To four ounces of the urine of the same cliild, which 

 was generally surcharged with, gravelly matter, I added 

 half an ounce of Kinsley's soda water, i in its full state of 

 effervescence; the phial well corked, and removed into a 

 .cold cellar, temperature 42 degrees. After four days, nay, 

 a week, nothing but the usual calcareous sediment, with- 

 out an atom of crystallised, or othei'wise precipitated uric 

 acid. 



From the above experiments, then, we learn, that pure 

 ■lime, in the state of lime-water, the pure alkalies, the sub- 

 carbonated, carbonated, and super-carbonated, all prevent 

 the separation of the uric acid, by uniting probably with, 

 and retaining it in solution. That they should still exert 

 their power, in the super-carbonated soda water, is rather 

 singular: and we must suppose, that, in the temperature 

 of the human body, this superabundant gas (which, for 

 .the greater part, is only retained by compression) would 

 be disengaged, and leave the alkali to exert its usual pro- 

 perties; and so, I would presume, it happens. 



A half-pint of soda water was poured into a large glass, 

 ^nd exposed to the influence of the atmosphere, in a tem- 

 .|)erature of from 60 to 75 degrees. After two days, it 

 continued to turn litmus red, and only ceased to do so, 

 ^t the end of three. But, in Experiment X. we find it in 

 its full gazeous state, still possessing its alkaline, influence 



on 



