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



1. " That where alkalies fail to relieve the increased se- 

 cretion of uric acid and to prevent its forming calculi in the 

 kidneys, or where they disagree with the stomach, magnesia 

 is generally effectual ; and that it may be persevered in for 

 a considerable time, without inconvenience, where the ten- 

 dency to form excess of uric acid remains. 



2. " When the alkalies or magnesia are improperly con- 

 tinued, after having reheved the symptoms connected with 

 the formation of the red sand or uric acid, the urine ac- 

 quires a tendency to deposit the white sand, consisting of the 

 ammoniaco, magnesian phosphate and phosphate of lime. 



3. "The mineral acids (muriatic, sulphuric and nitric) 

 diminish or entirely prevent the deposition of the phos- 

 phates, but are apt to induce a return of the red gravel. 



4. " That vegetable acids, especially the citric and tar- 

 taric, are less liable to produce the last mentioned effects, 

 even when taken in large doses for a long time ; and that 

 carbonic acid is particularly useful in cases, where the irrita- 

 ble state of the bladder prevents the exhibition of other 

 remedies." 



Under this head perhaps it would be well to notice that, 

 in some cases, the long continued use of magnesia in large 

 doses seems to have produced bad effects, by occasioning a 

 mechanical constipation of the bowels, (see Journal of Sci- 

 ence and the Arts, No. 2 ) 



4. As calculous complaints are maladies of such a griev- 

 ous nature, would it not be practicable to prevent them 

 by an early and assiduous attention to diet, habits of life, 

 &;c. — and is it not probable that such attention would be effi- 

 cacious, from the analogy between arthritic and calculous 

 affections, as ascertained by Dr. WoUaston's analysis of 

 gouty concretions .'' 



In cases of gout, even where accompanied with an he- 

 reditary diathesis, it is well known that a rigid adherence to 

 a particular plan will greatly mitigate, if not prevent, that 

 disease ; and analogical reasoning would infer the probable 

 success of a similar practice in cases of calculus. To ac- 

 quire the information that would be valuable here, it would 

 be necessary to have accurate accounts of the ages, em- 

 ployments, diet and constitutions of those, who have been 

 known to be afflicted with calculous complaints. In a late 

 yaluable work on calculous disorders, Dr. Marcet, of Lon- 



