Conspectus medicinae theoreticae : a view of the theory of medicine ; in two parts: Part I. Containing physiology and pathology. Part II. Containing therapeutics / a new ed., carefully rev. throughout. Translated from the original Latin.

  • Gregory, James, 1753-1821.
Date:
1833
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Conspectus medicinae theoreticae : a view of the theory of medicine ; in two parts: Part I. Containing physiology and pathology. Part II. Containing therapeutics / a new ed., carefully rev. throughout. Translated from the original Latin. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    in the stomach, as stimuli,—excite the secretion of urine, which thus dilutes its sediment better, effectually washes out the kid- neys and bladder, and expels more easily gravel and minute cal- culi. 1660. This seems also to be the reason of the benefit which many calculous patients have received from remedies decidedly astringent, as uva ursi; and certain medicinal waters, as chaly- beates; and even from good small beer, though this last be very foreign from an alkaline nature; and none of these possess great power of dissolving calculi, and most part of them none at all. 1661. We dare not, however, pass over in silence some other medicines employed by physicians as lithontriptics, especially as one of them has acquired great celebrity for its excellent qualities. 1662. A few years ago it was ascertained by some ingenious and very elegant experiments of a celebrated chemist, that car- bonic acid, mixed with water, quickly dissolves calcareous earth. For lime-water, which, on the addition of carbonic acid, parted with its lime, by the addition of a still greater por- tion, dissolved it anew, and nearly in equal quantity. In this manner other earths also can be dissolved, such as magnesia, which is insoluble in pure water. 1663. This seemed to present the physician with a favourable opportunity of making trial of a remedy, at once safe and easy in its administration, which might dissolve calculi, and could be very easily thrown into the system in various ways; either in the form of mephitic water, such as certain medicinal springs supply very abundantly, and which can be easily made of com- mon spring water, saturated with carbonic acid, when such springs cannot be attended, or their waters obtained ; or com- bined w'ith a proper alkaline salt, from which, immediately on being swallowed, that acid is to be expelled by a copious draught of juice of lemon, or any other acid w'hich may seem suited to that intention. Nor are some instances wanting in which this remedy appears to have been of signal benefit, and to have expelled great quantities of sabulous matter, even cal- culi, or fragments of no inconsiderable size. But it is very much to be regretted, that such benefit is not more frequent and cer- tain ; though it can scarcely occasion surprise, while it is not