200 On Gravelly and Calculous Concretions^ 



most probable means of alleviating or removing them. But, 

 to obtain this desirable end, an examination into the nature 

 of the predisposing and proximate causes ; of the chemical 

 and other properties of graveily matter itself; and that spe- 

 cies of calculus most generally resulting from its aggrega- 

 tion ; as well as of the remedies, and their mode of opera- 

 tion, became indispensablv necessary. I nmst also ac- 

 knowledge that I was not a little excited to this inquiry by 

 the consideratiorr, that, whilst the medicines now most con- 

 fided in by modern practitioners are supposed to exert no 

 energy on those substances out of the body, yet their be- 

 neficial effects, taken internally, stand uncontroverted by 

 the experience of almost every physician. 



Induced by these motives, I had, as far back as the 

 year 1799, instituted a series of experiments in hopes ot 

 throwing some more light on this subject ; and, perhaps, 

 chemically explaining upon what ground alkaline substances 

 m general alleviate, whilst acids as constanily aggravate, 

 this afflicting disease. 



But, knowing that Messrs. Fourcroy and Vauquelin had 

 been, for many years, particularly engaged in the analysis 

 of urine and its morbid concretions; and expecting, Iroin 

 their superior abilities in researches of this kind, that the 

 object which I had in view would be more satisfactorily 

 fulfilled, I did not wish to intrude any observations of my 

 own on the public. 



After, however, most anxiously attending to the result 

 of their scientific labours on this subject, as they have been, 

 since that period, successively detailed, by M. Fourcroy, in 

 the Annales de Chimie, IMenK)irs of the National Institute, 

 and latterly in his great and elaborate work tlie Conncis- 

 sances Chiviiques ; and finding little, if indeed any things 

 illustrative of the subject, to which I would wish to point 

 the attention of the faculty as well as the public in general, 

 I again latterly repeated, with much care, my experiment, 

 of 1799, and added some more, which may probably prove 

 interesting in a practical point of view. 



These, with some observations, and deductions from 

 them, I now, with diffidence, offer to the candour and 

 consideration of the academy. 



I must here premise, that the limits of an academic dis- 

 sertation necessarily confine me chiefly to the Consideration 

 of gravelly matter itself, and that species of calculus which 

 most generally rc-ults from its aoarcffation. 



Though determined to intrude as little as possible on 

 their time by an useless quotation from antient authors, 



who 



i 



