16 
DR. HOSKINS ON THE DECOMPOSITION OF CALCULI. 
furthermore that the solutions are freely tolerated by the organ, even when rendered 
morbidly irritable by the presence of the stone. 
The first case to be mentioned is that of a gentleman, seventy years of age, who 
had long been suffering from vesical affection, accompanied by alkaline urine, phos- 
phatic sediment, and the copious formation of ropy mucus. The catheter, when in- 
troduced, was felt to grate over calcareous concretions imbedded in the prostate 
gland. 
In this case, a very dilute solution of nitric acid, one drop to the ounce of water, 
could only be retained a minute or two, its use being followed by considerable pain, 
which lasted for several hours ; whereas the nitro-saccharate of lead solution, although 
retained for fifty minutes, produced no inconvenience, either at the time or subse- 
quently. It was repeated daily, or every second day, for upwards of a month, and 
has been again resumed at the patient’s request*. 
The second case was one in which two calculi existed ; the one was crushed suc- 
cessfully. The bladder was extremely irritable ; nevertheless, the solution, injected 
at frequent intervals, for a fortnight or three w T eeks, produced no greater uneasiness 
at the time, or irritability afterwards, than an equal quantity of warm water. The 
fragments voided by this patient were found to consist of a mulberry nucleus with 
a coating of phosphatic material, readily acted upon by the solution. 
The third case was also one of phosphatic calculus in an irritable bladder. The 
solution of nitro-saccharate was used daily for a week, and retained for half an hour 
at a time, not only without annoyance, but often with positive comfort. The gentle- 
man, however, not having patience to await its action on the calculus, nothing 
further was ascertained. 
It will be sufficiently evident, from these mere outlines, that the cases themselves 
were utterly unfavourable for testing the lithontriptic powers of the solution : they 
are, nevertheless, well-fitted to afford evidence of its being neither irritating nor 
injurious, when introduced with proper restrictions into the bladder. 
The establishment of the latter fact, although an important feature in the present 
communication, is not more so than the results which tend to denote the advantage 
of using decomponents, rather than solvents. The latter view of the subject reveals 
a class of mild, but effectual, agents hitherto untried, and points out a principle, the 
application of which, I trust and anticipate, will lead to the discovery of similar 
agents for the decomposition of the other varieties of calculi which afflict the human 
race. 
Guernsey , December 1, 1842. 
tion often contains. Other matters connected 'with the mechanical means for introducing the fluid, the action 
of various decomponents contained in the urine, &c., must be reserved for consideration elsewhere. 
* This gentleman is, I understand, much benefited. The instrument is no longer felt to grate over calca- 
reous matter ; and he voids the vesical contents more freely. 
