On Gravellij and Calculous Coiicrelions. 27 



attendant also upon their exhibition, completely does away 

 my former hypothesis; and we are left to conclude, that 

 fither the opinion of their want of action upon gravelly and 

 calculous matter is unfounded, or that the animal oeconomy 

 may be possessed (among the multiplicity of its wondei-s) 

 of some unknown chemical agency, whereby it may, in 

 their course through the circulation, disengage their car- 

 bonic acid gas. 



This would not appear more extraordinary than the fof 

 mation of the different and most opposite secretions, such 

 as bile and milk, from one and the same fluid ; nor than 

 what we every day observe to pass in the functions of the 

 vegetable department of the organized kingdom. 'J'he sal- 

 iola kali, salkornia, and other maritime plants, afforded to 

 Chaptal's analysis, in their early state of growth, muriate 

 of soda; when the plant was more advanced, this salt, with 

 this excess of alkali; but in a full state of maturity, the 

 same quite disengaged, and uncombined with muriatic 

 acid. Here, then, we have one of our most refractory salts, 

 and that resists the action of our greatest fires, completely 

 decomposed bv the vegetative powers of an humble plant. 

 In this state of uncertainty I determined upon a course of 

 some experiments which might throw some light on thi. 

 subject ; and go to explain how, or upon what principle 

 alkaline earths or carbonates become remedies in ihoe 

 complaints. And here, again, I must bring to our reco- 

 lection, that whatever retains the uric acid in a state of ,0- 

 lution whilst in the body, must prevent the formatior of 

 gravel or calculous matter of that kind. 



And to begin with lime water, so generally prcscibed 

 since the time of White. In this, the quantity of pure 

 earth in solution (being only one grain in 700 of watr) is 

 so minute, and it is, withal, so readily decomposed that 

 we could not, a priori, expect much from its agency. 



On conversing, however, with my friend Dr. Harreyon 

 this subject, (of whose professional acumen it is unneces- 

 sary to make mention here,) he observed, with that strengti 

 of reasoning peculiarly his own: "Whatever maybe thsre. 

 fult of your future inquiries, can you, for a moment, ima 



gin 



