552 M'NEVEN ON THE MINERAL WATER 



During all this period, the use of acids was carefully avoided : but 

 finding the return of the paroxysms so very frequent, and experiencing 

 no advantage that could be ascribed to lime water, the attending physi- 

 cian determined upon trying the effect of an opposite plan, and directed 

 cider for the patient's drink. This course was likewise persisted in for 

 a considerable time, though the injurious consequence of it was soon 

 manifest and alarming. The pain was almost ceaseless, and the severer 

 paroxysms occurred now very frequently. Under these circumstances 

 the patient felt greatly discouraged. In him, regular habits and constant 

 temperance seemed bereft of their usual good consequences. He was 

 also free from any hereditary distemper, and naturally of a very robust 

 constitution, without deriving from these things their accustomed 

 advantages. One alleviation only accompanied his sufferings : ever 

 since his nephritic attacks became severe and frequent, he was no longer 

 molested by a periodical head-ach, that had afflicted him from his child- 

 hood. 



Having been sufficiently admonished, by the aggravation of his com- 

 plaint, to drop cider, he returned again to the use of lime water, and 

 persevered in it for several months, with as little benefit as at first. At 

 this time Dr. P. upon consulting with Dr. M. determined to change his 

 medicine for carbonate of soda. He took this also a long while, and 

 conjointly with it drank abundantly of supercarbonated soda water. 

 Nevertheless, his disorder did not, at all, abate by any thing he had yet 

 done. 



In the spring of 1813, he was first advised to try the mineral water of 

 Schooley's Mountain, which was then represented to him as beneficial 

 in cases of gravel. He went there in the course of the summer, and 

 remained about three weeks, but did not experience any decided ad- 

 vantage from his first visit. At the end of two weeks his urine appear- 

 ed all of a sudden quite black, and remained dark coloured for about 



