[ 30 ] 

 IV. Memoirs of the late Erasmus Darwin, M. D„ 



[Continued from vol. xxxi. p. 300.] 

 DARWINIANA. 



Jtlis account, and mode of cure in defective ossification, 

 rickets, distortion of the spine, lameness from the hip-bone, 

 and protuberance of the spine, claim every attention.. 



Innutritio ossium. Innutrition of the bones. — Not only 

 the blood effused in vibices and petechias, or from bruises, 

 as well as the blood and new vessels in inflamed parts, are 

 reabsorbed by the increased action of the lymphatics; but 

 the harder materials, which constitute the fangs of the first 

 set of teeth, and the ends of exfoliating bones, and some- 

 times the matter of chalk-stones in the gout, the coagulable 

 lymph, which is deposited on the lungs, or on the muscles 

 after inflammation of those parts, and which frequently 

 produces difficulty of breathing, and the pains of chronic 

 rheumatism, and lastly the earthy part of the living bones 

 are dissolved and absorbed by the increased actions of this 

 system of vessels. 



The earthy part of bones in this disease of the innutrition 

 of them seems to suffer a solution and reabsorption ; while 

 the secerning vessels do not supply a sufficient quantity of 

 calcareous earth and phosphoric acid, which constitute the 

 substance of bones. As calcareous earth abounds every 

 where, Is the want of phosphoric acid the remote cause } 

 One cause of this malady is given in the Philosophical Trans- 

 actions, where the patient had been accustomed to drink 

 large quantities of vinegar. Two cases are described by Mr. 

 Gouch. In one case, which I saw, a considerable quantity 

 of calcareous earth, and afterwards of bone-ashes, and of 

 decoction of madder, and also of sublimate of mercury, were 

 given without effect. All the bones became soft, many of 

 them broke, and the patient seemed to die from the want of 

 beins; able to distend her chest owing to the softness of the 

 ribs. 



M. M. Salt of urine, called sal microcosmicum, phos- 

 phorated soda. Calcined hartshorn. Bone-ashes^ Hard or 

 petrifying water, as that of Matlock, or such as is found hi 

 3 all 



