L I M E-W A T E TE 
It quenched third as well as Ample water, and cuftora 
rendered it agreeable. Lime-water is notably detergent 
and attenuating, even more fo than foap itfelf, of mucous, 
vifcid, and other animal fordes, which makes it preferable, 
in many cafes, to the purelt, as well as to mineral, waters. 
In a word, lime-water may be faid, in general, to purify 
the blood, with as good reafon as any other medicine what¬ 
ever, efpecially from any putrid, purulent, orfcorbutic,foul- 
nelies. Dr. Lewis obferves, that lime-water, drunk to the 
quantity of a quarter of a pint three or four times a-day, has 
been found ferviceable in fcrophulous complaints, fluxes, 
feminal weaknefles, and other diforders proceeding from 
an impurity of the fluids, or laxity and debility of the 
folids. It generally promotes urine; oftentimes the cuti- 
cular difcharge; and, where the ftoniach is opprefled with 
vifcid phlegm, expectoration. It for the molt part binds 
the belly, and fometimes occafions a troublefome coftive- 
nefs, unlefs this effedt be occafionally provided againlt by 
the interpofition of proper laxatives. It anfwers belt in 
cold, fluggilh, phlegmatic, and corpulent, habits; and is 
to be uled more cautioufly in hot bilious difpofitions, 
and where the patient is much emaciated, or the appetite 
weak, and at the time of any critical or periodical eva¬ 
cuation. It has been cuftomary to impregnate lime-water 
with different materials, partly for rendering it more ac¬ 
ceptable to the palate and (lomach, and partly for improv¬ 
ing its medicinal efficacy againlt cutaneous defedations. 
The College of Edinburgh directed, in this view, three 
ounces of the (havings of the wood and bark of faffafras, 
one ounce and a half of ffiaved liquorice, and four drams 
and a half of bruifed nutmegs; the College of London, 
half an ounce of faffafras-bark, and one ounce of liquorice, 
with the addition, in fome cafes, of four ounces of rafped 
guaiacum-wood, and three drams of coriander-feeds; to 
be macerated for four days in three quarts of lime-water, 
and the liquid ltrained off for ufe. Thefe infuflons are 
taken in the fame quantities as the Ample lime-water, by 
themfelves, or with the addition of milk. But Dr. Mac- 
bride obferves, that the activity of lime-water is impaired 
by infuling vegetable fubftances therein, which contain 
much fixed air, fuch as the guaiacum, or faffafras; for thefe 
woods, abounding in refin, give out their cementing 
principle, which, uniting with the diffolved quick-lime, 
reftores it to its original flate of an inactive calcareous 
earth ; therefore, when it is intended that thefe woods, or 
any other fubftance of the like nature, fhould give out 
their virtue to lime-water, and that the water fhould, at 
she fame time, contain its due proportion of diffolved lime, 
fome quick-lime ought to be added during the time of 
maceration. He alfo obferves, that, as milk contains a 
large proportion of fixed air, it ought not to be mixed 
with lime-water, fince it mult necelfarily take off from 
its activity. To the fame pfcrpofe, Dr. Allton has ob- 
lerved, that there is fcarcely any thing that is ufually 
mixed and given along with lime-water, that does' not, 
more or lets, deftroy its efficacy ; for which reafon he re¬ 
commended it always to be taken alone. 
Of the various fubftances examined by Dr. Hales, with 
a view of determining their refpeftive quantities of fixed 
air, the human calculus was found to contain the lnrgeft 
proportion ; above one-half of this mafs confifting of 
fixed air. Neverthelefs, if the cauftic alkali, or lime-wa¬ 
ter, could be fafely conveyed to it, it would ablorb the 
fixed ail-; and the earthy parts, deprived of what bound 
them together, mull prelently fall to pieces. That lime- 
water is lithontriptic has beea fhown Efficiently by Dr. 
Hales, and more fully by Dr. Whytt. This gentleman 
prefers calcined oyfler-ftell lime-water to any other; 
which, he fays, proves a more adtive menftruuni for this 
concrete, than that made from the ftone-limes; the dif¬ 
ib] ving power of the oyfter-fhell lime-water feeming,. from 
Dr. Whytt’s experiments, to be more than double to that 
of the ftone lime-waters. Dr. Alfton feems to think this 
a matter of indifference; and was hinvfeif cured chiefly 
by the ftone quick-lime water before saeatioced, This 
Vol.XII. No. 86«. 
lithontriptic quality of lime-water has been farther con¬ 
firmed by Dr. Alfton, who has drown the efficacy of lime- 
water in this refpect, not only when made by the firft in- 
fufion, and aflifted by artificial heat, but even after fifty 
or more infuflons, and in. the common air. The doctor 
thinks that the energy of lime-water in this cafe probably 
conflfts in its penetrating detergency, whereby, inflnuat- 
ing itfelf among the folid parts of the calculi, or into 
theirpores, it feparates them, ordiminifhes their coheflon, 
but does not diffolve them. 
But the efficacy of quick-lime and cauftic alkali in this 
intention, is now known to depend principally, if not 
entirely, on its power of abforbing the air which binds 
calculous fubftances together. However, the alkali, when 
combined yvith oil, and made into foap, is not only fo 
greatly obtunded thereby as to lofe much of its power, 
but the foap itfelf is fo naufeous, that few perfons can be 
induced to take it in a quantity Efficient to prove of 
much effedt; it would, therefore, be a happy difeovery, if 
any vehicle could be found out that would fheathe the 
acrimony of the cauftic alkali, fo as to allow it to be taken 
in large and continued dofes. Poffibly, fays Dr. Mac- 
bride, veal broth, or a decodtion of marlh-mallow roots, 
might be found to anfwer this purpofe; and lime-water 
might be taken at the fame time, which would not at all 
interfere with the operation of the alkali, but rather add 
to its activity. Dr. Chittick’s noftrum, which is found, 
after a perfeverance of fome months, actually (o dilfolve 
the (lone, is faid to be nothing more than the cauftic al¬ 
kali given in veal broth. Bur lime-water, when taken 
alone, mult often fail in producing any conflderable effect 
as a lithontriptic, becaufe it will lofe much of its power, 
as Dr. Macbride has Ihown, from the fixed air of the ali¬ 
mentary fubftances in the firft paffages; who therefore re¬ 
commends it to be drunk when the ftomach is empty 3 
and alfo, as Dr. Whytt and Dr. Macbride have proved by 
experiments, from the fixed air of the urine itfelf, which 
will faturate great part of the quick-lime, even when it 
has reached the bladder. Macbride's EJfays. 
Since there is but a final”} proportion of lime in theE'a- 
ter, it may be thought that taking a few grains of the 
quick-lime in fubftance would prove much more effectual 
in the ftone, than large quantities of lime-water. But this 
is a miltake; and hence Mrs. Stephens’s egg-fhells and 
fnail-fhells, if burnt to quick-lime, can never be equally 
fuccefsful with lime-water for the ftone. As for the aqua 
bcnedicla compojita, or compound lime-waters, they are not 
to be compared with fimpie lime-water in the gravel; nor, 
in Dr. Alfton’s opinion, in any dileafe requiring this 
water. 
The doftor adds, in his Appendix, that, though he can¬ 
not yet determine how far lime-water inay be proper, even 
in acute diftempers, yet he has found it fafe in feverilh 
colds; and, by the cafes he there mentions, it feems pro¬ 
bable that lime-water, by its diluent and diuretic quali¬ 
ties, may prove more ufeful in fevers than is at prefent 
believed. However this may prove on farther trials, it 
may be faid, in general, that lime-water is diluent, deter¬ 
gent, antifeptic, anthelmintic, diuretic, and vulnerary; 
ufeful in all difeafes proceeding from, or accompanied 
with, obftruftions in the bowels or glands, vifcid phlegm, 
calculous concretions, or putrefaction ; and commended 
for the feurvy, fcrophula, gravel, confumptioos, empye- 
ma-afthraa, arthritis vaga, cedematous fwellings, diabetes, 
fiuor albus, fluxes, &c. and outwardly for difeafes of the 
fkin, ulcers, gangrenes, See. It may be taken to the 
quantity of a pound, once, twice, or thrice, a-day; or 
ufed for common drink. See Dr. Aifton’s Differtation on 
Quick-lime, and Lime-water, Edinb. 1752. 
For gardeners, an ufeful kind of water is prepared by 
Caking cauftic iime in foft water, in the proportion of 
half a peck of the former to thirty-two gallons of the lat¬ 
ter, letting them remain fome time before they are made 
ufe of, flirring them well two or three times a-day, for’wo 
or three days. It-is a liquid which, when the lime has 
'■* X fubhdec4 
