304 Prof. E. D. Smith on Calculous Affections. 



as will be noticed hereafter. The carbonated alkalies wili 

 be likely to prove less injurious than the sub-carbonates, be- 

 cause their greater proportion of acid will tend to prevent 

 the deposition of the phosphates in the bladder : but 

 at the same time they are equally inert as the sub-carbonates 

 as to the acids* ia the stomach. 



The preceding reasoning is amply confirmed by direct 

 experiments, upon cases of uric acid, Avith alkahne carbo- 

 nates and sub-carbonates and with magnesia. The result 

 proved that the use of magnesia greatly relieved or entire- 

 ly removed the symptoms of uric acid, while the other rem- 

 edies produced no such effect. 



I have been led to pay more particular attention to this 

 subject, from the circumstance of my own case, which is- 

 believed to have been of the nature alluded to, and a suc- 

 cinct account of which may serve to shew a practical con- 

 nexion between some remarks that have already been, and 

 some that are yet to be made. 



During a considerable portion of the year 1S17, 1 had 

 lived in a very sedentary manner and for some part of the 

 time was unusually abstemious in diet, closely confined in 

 the damp walls of a new brick building, which was fre- 

 quently neither well ventilated nor warmed. In November, 

 I experienced several short and pungent attacks of a pain 

 in the right side, and near the region of the kidneys, which 

 were removed in a little time by a stimulating potion ; but 

 at length, in a few hours after drinking a glass of wine, 

 from which I had long abstained, a severe and most distres- 

 sing paroxysm came on and continued for several hours. 

 Some of the symptoms indicated a violent, flatulent cholic, 

 while from others it might be concluded that either rheu- 

 matism, oi* the passage of calculous matter fron the kidney 

 to the bladder was the cause of suffering. Considerable 

 eructations took place, there was acute and fixed misery in 

 the loin and hip of that side, and frequent shooting and 

 lancinating pains down the right thigh urethra, &c. but 

 there was no nausea of the stomach nor febrile affection. 

 Stimulating potions were used, and also embrocations and 



* We presume that the writer intended to restrict this remark to the uric 

 acid, for it is notorious that the carbonate. Sic, neutralize and remove acid"^ 

 in the stomach. — Ed. 



