a ASS I. i. 3- 1 1 OF IRRITATION. 37 



the handles of which might confift of joints to permit" them to 

 i in all directions, and thus the 11 one might be broken to 

 ; by a few trials ; or if it was a loft or fragile ftone, the re- 

 traclion of the wire -bow might divide it at every trial, till it be- 

 almoft reduced to powder. A little mechanical ingenuity 

 might be neceflary in rhe conftrufrJon and ufeof this machine- 

 ry ; but I believe it not to be impracticable, fince I read the above 

 account of Colonel Martin, though I had often before thought 

 of it with defpair of its fuccefsful application. 



Lithotomy is the lail refource. Will the gaftric juice of ani- 

 mals diflblve calculi? Will fermenting vegetable juices* as 

 fweet-wort, or fugar and water in the al of fermentation with 

 yeaft, diflblve any kind of animal concretions ? 



1 1 . Calculus artlriticus. Gout-ftones are formed on infla- 

 med membranes, like thofe of the kidneys above defcribed, by the 

 too hafty abforption of the thinner and faline parts of the mucus. 

 Similar concretions have been produced in the lungs, and even 

 in the pericardium ; and it is probable, that the omfication, as it 

 15 called, of the minute arteries, which is faid to attend old age, 

 arul to precede fome mortifications of the extremities, may be a 

 procefs of this kind. 



As gout-ftones lie near the furface, it is probable, that ether, 

 frequently applied in their early ftate, might render them fo li- 

 quid as to permit their re-abforption ; which the ilimulus of the 

 ether might at the fame time e ncourage. 



12. Rheumatifmus cbronicus. Chronic rheumatifm. After the 

 acute rheumatifm fome mfpifTated mucus, or material fimilar to 

 chalk-ftones of the gout, which was fecreted on the inflamed 

 membrane, is probably left, owing to the too hafty abforption of 

 the thinner and faline part of it ; and by lying on the fafcia, which 

 covers fome of the mufcles, pains them, when they move and rub 

 againil it, like any extraneous material. 



The pain of the fhoulder, which attends inflammations of the 

 upper membrane of the liver, and the pains of the arms, which 

 attend afthma dolorificurn, or dropfy of the pericardium, are dif- 

 tinguifhed from the chronic rheumatifm, as in the latter the pain 

 only occurs on moving the affected mufcles. 



M. M. Warm bath, cold bath, bandage of emplaftrum de 

 minio put on tight, fo as to comprefs the part. Cover the part 

 with flannel. With oiled (ilk. Rub it with common oil fre- 

 quently. With ether. A blifter. A warmer climate. Ven- 

 efection. A grain of calomel and a grain of opium for ten fuc- 

 ceflive nights.. The Peruvian bark. 



13. Clcatrix vulnsrum. The fear after wounds. In the heal- 

 uf ulcers the matter is firit thickened by increafmg the 



abforption 



