288 



EXPERIMENT VI. 



One half of a uric acid calculus, was suspended for 

 ibrty-eight hours, in four ounces of lime-water: tempera- 

 ture as before. After being dried, was found to have lost 

 seven grains three quarters; and the surface to be covered 

 with a granular efflorescence, which, in drying, detaches 

 itself. The calculus Avas so much softened, as to leave 

 little doubt of its entire destruction, by a few more immer- 

 sions. It was again suspended, for a month, in the same 

 quantity of lime-water, in the temperature of the atmo- 

 sphere only, without any renewal of the menstruum; when 

 it Avas found to have lost twenty-four grains. Now, if the 

 lime-water had been frequently renewed, and its energy as- 

 sisted, by the standard heat of the human body, no doubt 

 but it would have been entirely broken down, in a much 

 shorter time. We find, then, lime-water, not only prevent- 

 ing the separation of uric acid from urine, but acting 

 powerfidly upon it, in its most compact form. How well 

 founded, then, were the experiments of Whyte, as well as 

 the opinion of Doctor Smyth; and how little deserving the 

 latter the obloquy of his contemporaries, for his predilec- 

 tion to it. Now, this result, corresponding also with 

 Scheele's, points it out to us, as one of our most safe and 

 active agents, when injected into the bladder, with the 

 necessary precautions. And we must feel surprised, that 



no 



