300 Prof. E. D. Smith on Calculous Affections, 



AfiT. X. — On the application of Medico- Chemistry to Cal- 

 culous Affections f by the late Edwabd D. Smith,* 

 M. D. Professor of Chemistry and Mineralogy, in the 

 South- Carolina College. 



The benefits which are continually resulting from chem- 

 ical investigations, are peculiarly striking in the application 

 of such investigations to the advancement of medical sci- 

 ence. For, although it must be confessed that a rash en- 

 thusiasm may have unwisely attempted to explain the mys- 

 teries of some Phenomena, that are observed in the living 

 system, by the analogy of the results of the action of chem- 

 ical agents upon dead matter, it must be granted that there 

 are cases, in which the useful application of chemical knowl- 

 edge is conspicuous. Animal chemistry is undoubtedly a 

 complicated subject, and from its nature, must necessarily 

 be involved in much obscurity ; but ingenious and patient 

 analyses have already developed some facts in connexion 

 with this branch of the science, that are exceedingly im- 

 portant and interesting and well calculated to display some 

 of the causes of imperfection in the healing art. The la- 

 bours of Scheele, Wollaston, Fourcroy, Vauquelin, Pear- 

 son, Berzelius and others, in the analyses of urine and uri-r 

 nary calcuh, have diffused upon these subjects, a light that 

 is very cheering to the friends of science and humanity. 

 We are now enabled to take a clear and satisfactory view of 

 what was heretofore involved in much doubt; and instead 

 of timidly groping in the blind paths of empiricism, we may 

 walk boldly upon the highway of correct principles. This 

 is the sure road, and if we are careful not to deviate from it, 

 must gradually conduct us towards the attainment of our ob- 

 ject. It has been truly observed by the editors of the Ed- 

 inburgh Review "that calculous complaints are among the 

 worst of human maladies, and that to investigate the nature 

 of the stone, for the purpose of discovering solvents, which 

 might remove it, has accordingly been long considered as 

 one of the noblest problems in practical chemistry, and 



*This is the last communicftlion for this Journal with which the editorwas 

 favoured by the respectable and estimable author of this memoir ; it was 

 transmitted a little before his death, but Jthp? not been convenient to pub- 

 lish it before: — Es. 



