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On the Operation of Medicines, 207 



patients, thus affeded, had neither their teeth 

 loofened, nor their breath made offenfive. 



Mod perfons have experienced the effefts of 

 afparagus on the urine*. This takes place very 

 fpeedilyj and ftrongly too, even though a fmall 

 quantity only has been eaten. The fmell is 

 much more difagreeable than that of afparagus 

 itfelf. And as the odorous particles conveyed 

 to the kidneys mull be greatly diluted in their 

 palTage (even on the fuppofition of the retrograde 

 motion of the lymphatics, which does not feem 

 probable in a cafe fo invariable and uni- 

 form) I fhould conceive that a new combination 

 of particles takes place in the urinary organs j 

 and that the odorous part of the fecretion dif- 

 fers in its form and quality, both from what 

 fubfifted in the chyle and in the blood. 



There are certain medicines which, when 

 fwallowed, quickly manifeft themfelves in the 

 difcharges, with fome of their original qualities. 

 Soap lees, when taken in large quantities, ren- 

 der the urine alkaline and lithonthriptic : And 

 the fame excretion becomes impregnated with 

 fixed air, if mephitic water be drunk freely. 

 A patient, whom I vifit- at this time, has fix 



• Cabbage, efpecially that of the winter's growth, im. 

 pregnanes water with a difagreeable fmdl, fomewhat fimi- 

 lar to that which is communicated by afparagus. Yet, I 

 believe, cabbage is never known to taint the urine j perhaps 

 from its having no chemical affinity with it. 



grains 



