■8&s {R<^ ■Sf-a UNITED STATES OF AMERICA * . , FOUNDED 1836 WASHINGTON, D. C, Bl9574 EXPERIMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS ON URINARY AND INTESTINAL CALCULI. WITH ENGRAVINGS. By WILLIAM STEPHEN JACOBS, OF BRABANT; Honorary Member of the Philadelphia Medical and Chemical Societies. " Whilst so many sages and philosophers, have consumed a long and laborious life in exploring the recesses of the temple of medical science, new discoveries can scarcely be expected from him, who with trembling and uncertain steps, is yet lingering on the threshold." i. e. stock. Inaugural Essay. PHILADELPHIA: Y^\ ^ PRINTED BY CARR &? SMITH. \< f V 1801. i AN INAUGURAL ESSAT, FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MEDICINE; SUBMITTED TO THE EXAMINATION OF THE REV. JOHN EWING, S.S. T. P. PROVOST; THE TRUSTEES AND MEDICAL FACULTY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, ON THE EIGHTH DAY OF JUNE, 1801. l*lO*4Z INTRODUCTION. THE author of the following effay can boaft of but little more, than having re- peated with care, a few experiments long fince made by fome of the moll eminent che- mifls. In fome points of view, his experi- ments maybe feen to differ from thofe of others but, he prefumes that, when taken together they will ferve as an evidence of the correcl- nefs of fome of his experimental predeceffors; and that abflra6lly confidered,they may throw fome new rays of light on the nature of urina- ry and inteflinal calculi. If the laft effecl be produced, he can only attribute it to the occa- fional, yet abfolute difference which exifts between diftin6t calculi, and not to any un- common or fuperior degree of accuracy in his own experiments. In point of defign, he is fully fenfible of their infufficiency ; but he can affure the reader, that as he had no parti- cular obje6t in view which could bias his C 8 ] mind, he hopestheirrefultshavebeendetailed with candour and integrity. It may not be deemed altogether uninte- refting, to fay a few words in this place, con- cerning the formation of calculi in the animal body, and the manner in which they are faid to be affe6led by medicines internally admi- niftered. The matter of urinary calculus, is pro- perly fpeaking, a true and natural fecretion of the kidneys. The purpofes for which this fecretion is performed, we are unable even to form a conjecture ; of the conflituent parts of this matter, the lithic acid of Scheele more properly called by Mr. Fourcroy the urinic acid,* is the moft confpicuous : It is an acid sui generis, and found only in the urinary paffages of animals:! of its nature, and habi- tudes with other bodies, we are wholly un- aquainted. That the fecretion of this par- ticular acid, as well as of all the other com- ponent parts of calculus, is not a difeafed one, is fufficiently proved by the decompofition of * Dr. Pearfon has denied the exiftence of the lithic acid ; he fays, it has none of the properties of acids, although this has been fully eftablifhed by the experiments of Mr. Four- croy. See his anfwer to Dr. Pearfon, in the 2nd volume of the Philofophical Magazine. t Dr. Pearfon fays, he has found it in gouty concretions. [ 9 ] healthy urine,* the produces of which, are precifely the fame as thofe of flone. In con- firmation of this, we need only recur to a fa£t familiar to moft obfervers:—I mean the actu- al formation of calculus upon the walls of privies, and other public places. If the mat- ter of calculus be uniformly and naturally fe- creted with the urine, how ufelefs and abfurd do the voluminous fpeculations of phyficians appear, concerning the fuppofed influence which lime-water, and other fubftances have in the generation of ftone. Although urine in general contains moft if not all the parts which compofe calculus, yet, without the concomitant exiftence of certain circumftances, it is feldom genera- ted. One of the principal of thefe conditions, is, what is commonly called a nucleus, or a body upon which, the ftone is gradually de- pofited from the urine. Foreign matters are fometimes known to ferve as nuclei for the accretion of ftone ; and we can readily con- ceive, and indeed the fa6l is certainly afcer- tained, that, when the urine abounds with calculous matter, maffes of ftone are formed without the prefence nuclei. In thefe cafes, the quantity of calculous matter, being fo * See the works of Fourcroy and Vauquelin. C 10 ] abundant, of which we have many hiftories, upon the higheft authority,* it is probable that the urine is unable to hold it all in folution, and, therefore, parts of it are precipitated, which adhere together and in time are confo- lidated. But the moft common kind of nucleus is, we fuppofe, the coagulable lymph of the blood, which is fometimes effufed by inflama- tion into the pelvis of the kidnies, or the uri- nary bladder. Two fa£ts render this fuppo- fition at leaft plaufible. First, from a com- parative examination, but few calculi are found containing nuclei. The reafon of this is, that, *The following is the hiftory of a cafe which came under the care of Dr. Wiftar. The friends of a girl, about nine years of age, requefted the Doctor's advice concerning a flone in the urinary bladder, the exiftence of which, the Doclor was fatisfied from examination, and foon after extracted it by dividing the urethra towards the vagina. The child in a fliort time recovered : but fome months after, new fymptoms of calculus made their appearance. The child would not fubmit to any further examination this time ; during which, fmall calculi came away daily. I have at leaft fifty of thefe calculi, one of which is as large as an hazle nut, of a triangular figure The patient died laft April with a number of flones in the bladder and fome, perhaps, in the kidneys. No nuclei were found in any of thefe flones A very fmall quantity of white powder was iifcovered in many of them, when broke. This flate of the fyftem, may be called, with pro- priety, a calculous diathesis. C n ] the coagulable lymph being eafily deftroyed foon difappears in them. And, secondly, the formation of ftone is frequently preceded by inflamation, which moft commonly attacks the kidneys, in which, calculus, in a majority of cafes, perhaps, originates. Were this laft fa6t more generally and more particularly attend- ed to in practice, and the proper remedies for obviating and relieving inflamatory affections of the urinary organs and receptacles admini- ftered it is more than probable that many cafes of ftone might be thereby effectually prevent- ed. But that wonderful and exceflive difpofi- tion which exifts in fome habits to fecrete the matter of calculus, makes us defpair of ever being able to prevent in every cafe the for- mation of ftone. The modus operandi of medicines, called lithontriptic, has engaged much of the atten- tion and ftudy of phyficians for many ages. The afflictive train of fymptoms which ac- company the ftone, is of too ferious a kind not to have called forth the tender fympathy and adtive exertions of humanity to its relief. No condition of human nature is more pain- ful to the body, or more melancholy to the mind of man, than a paroxyfm of the ftone.— It excites a difmal gloom, to which, all are C 12 ] ftrangers but the patient. No ftate can there- fore, more powerfully command the compaf- fionate feelings of a fellow-creature. But after all the labour and attention of phyfi- cians, the fufferer derives but partial aflift- ance, and that but feldom, from the ufe of medicine. He is, for the moft part, obliged to pafs away a life of mifery, or fubmit to one of the moft painful of all furgical operations. From a candid view of our knowledge con- cerning the a6lion of lithontriptics, it will appear perhaps, that we are in poflefiion of but little certainty or truth on the fubje6l. It is now even doubtful that medicines are ab- sorbed into the general circulation. If this be the cafe, to the truth of which, we are not at prefent difpofed to obje£t, what an exten- five courfe of fophiftry and train of laboured reafoning is at once deftroyed. No fubjecl: exhibits a more ftriking proof of the error that prevails in medical philofophy—the me- thodus medendi slX leaft, than the one before us. Although it may be degrading to the dignity of the medical profeflion, and even difgufting to the feelings and fentiments of many phyficians, it is neverthelefs true, that few, if any, are qualified to explain the ope- ration of medicines upon rational—much lefs, [ 13 ] upon fatisfactory principles. If medicines are not abforbed, it would be in vain to ad- minifter them with a view of diflblvlng uri- nary calculi. But the probability of a certain action of the abforbents, I mean the retro- grade motion of their contents, has given a new turn to the inveftigation. But granting all the force which ingenuity deferves in fug- gefting this doctrine—not in erecting it, for the aid of fact and experiment is yet want- ing on the fubject. We prefume that our belief in its being groundlefs is not prema- ture. From a clofe attention to the natural functions of the abforbents, their ftructure, as well as from a pathological point of view, we are conftrained to declare that no retrograde motion of their contents does take place. The abforbing veffels arife from all the different furfaces and cavities of the body, and termi- nate in the thoracic duct, where their contents are depofited. It is not to be fuppofed that veffels, fuch as the lymphatics, which are na- turally intended to convey fluids one way, fhould carry them directly the contrary. Such a tendency as this, would be more effectually prevented in the abforbents than in the veins; which no perfon fuppofes fuffer their contents to go backwards. The valves of the abfor- c C 14 ] bents, like thofe of the veins, are calculated to fuffer the tranfmiflion of their contents one way, viz. towards the thoracic duct, but not the other ; and there exifting fo great a num- ber of thefe, is fufflcient to fhew that nature has been provident to fulfil this wife intention. But in difeafe, we never obferve this retrograde motion—the only affection obvious to our fenfes, is a want of tone or action in the abfor- bents. But it is faid there are a fet of veffels which go from the ftomach directly to the bladder, through which, medicines may be conveyed. We know of no fuch veffels—we never have feen them—we believe no ana- tomifthas, or perhaps ever will be able to de- monftrate them; and the onlv fact adduced in fupport of it, which deferves any notice, is the fudden formation of a large quantity of urine in confequence of having taken certain fubftances into the ftomach. This kind of urine, which is called urina potus by fome gentlemen, poffeffes but few of the common properties of urine. It is infipid, inodorous, without colour, and refembling water more than any thing elfe. But we can more rea- dily conceive, of the kidneys forming this kind of urine, than that it paffes through a new fet of veffels, from the ftomach to the C 15 ] bladder. As it is uncommon, it probably is a difeafed fecretion ; of which, we know the kidneys, like other glands, are capable. But even admitting that there is a retrograde, or what is fometimes called an inverted perif- taltic action of the abforbents, or a direct communication to the bladder, we know that all foreign matters, medicines, for inftance, will be changed by the veffels, in their paffage through them—confequently, no application can be made of thefe doctrines to the imme- diate influence of medicines upon the ftone : We therefore believe, that no lithontriptic medicine ever arrives at the bladder, in that ftate in which it was previoufly thrown into the ftomach. No. I. Analysis of a calculus presented to me by Dr. Wistar, who extracted it from the urinary bladder of a child. This ftone was large, rough, and white on the external furface, being grey and more porous towards the center, in which nothing like a nucleus could be difcovered. It was ir- regularly laminated; and the plate which was interpofed between the external white and [ 16 ] the internal grey portions of the ftone, was harder than any other part, and prefented from the furfaee of its fradure, a great num- ber of fmall Alining points. Experiment 1.—Forty grains of this ftone were boiled on Argand's lamp, in the nitric acid, diluted with diftilled water, and in a fhort time it was entirely diffolved, without effervefcence, (a) the refidue, after evapo- ration was of a beautiful rofe colour, (b) This refidue was freed from the fuperabundant acid by feveral wafhings in diftilled water, and fucceflive evaporations ; it was after- wards boiled a confiderable time in diftilled water, in which part of it was diffolved. By adding a few drops of the oxalic acid to fomeof the clear fupernatant liquor, the infoluble part having fubfided, a white precipitate (c) was immediately formed. Experiment 2.—A .quantity of the ftone being diffolved in the nitric acid, diluted with diftilled water, was added to a pure aqueous folution of the acetate of lead, and a copious white precipitate was produced, (d) Experiment 3.—To a quantity of this folution, the nitrate of filver was added, a copious white precipitate was obtained, (e) but [ 17 ] on adding the muriated barytes to part of the fame folution, no change was produced. ({) Experiment 4.—Two drachms of the fame ftone powdered were boiled an hour in the cauftic vegetable alkali and then filtered, when after examination, twenty-four grains appeared to have been taken up by the alkaline folventfg) Experiment 5.—A fragment of this ftone was powdered in a mortar, to which I added a piece of the cauftic vegetable alkali, and rubbed them together, by which a ftrong fmell of volatile alkali was difengaged. (h) Experiment 6.—A fragment of the fame ftone, weighing 24 grains, was expofed in a crucible to a high degree of heat, 30 minutes after it became cool, it affumed a pale blue colour, was unchanged in figure, but had loft in weight 8 grains, (i) From the above experiments, it therefore appears, that this ftone contained no carbonic acid; (a) but the lithic acid (b), as well as lime (c) and the phofphoric acid (d), and the ma- rine acid (e), but no fulphuric acid (f); the prefence of one or more acids, is fuppofed from (g), and the actual exiftence of volatile alkali from (h), and the exiftence of mucila- ginous as well as of aqueous parts prefumed from (i). C 18 ] No. II. Analysis of a calculus extractedfrom the urin- ary bladder of a girl.—It was white, friable, light, irregularly laminated and destitute of nucleus.* Experiment 1.—Thirty three grains of this ftone were diffolved in the nitric acid di- luted with diftilled water, by the affiftance of heat. The folution was attended with effer- vefcence, and a difcharge of nitrous gas; it was then evaporated and the fuperabundant acid thrown off by wafhing and evaporating, after which fome diftilled water was poured upon the refidue, and fuffered to ftand. After fome time,it was partially diffolved, and to a portion of the clear liquor, Experiment 2.—I added a few drops of the acetate of lead, and a white precipitate was thereby formed. Experiment 3.—To fome of the fame li- quor, I added the oxalic acid, which ftruck a white cloud: Experiment 4.—To another portion of the fame liquor, the muriated barytes was added, but no change was obferved. Experiment 5.—A white precipitate was produced by mixing nitrated filver with fome of the fame liquor. * See note page 4. [ 19 ] Experiment 6.—Thirty grains of the fame ftone were boiled in the fame cauftic vegetable alkali—a confiderable quantity remained un- diffolved, having filtered it, the clear liquor was faturated with the muriatic acid, and a precipitate of a green colour, was thereby formed. The liquor was of the fame colour, likewife, which colour it poffeffed when dif- charged from ufe ; this green precipitate was obtained by filtering, and then dryed; after which, a portion of it was triturated with fome cauftic vegetable alkali, but no fmell of ammoniac was perceived. Experiment 7.—The precipitate was part- ly foluble in alkohol, but more fo in water, and imparted a green colour to both. Experiment 8.—On the remainder of the precipitate, I poured fome nitric acid, and a beautiful red colour was inftantly produced, and a confiderable degree of heat generated. In cooling, a yellow powder was gradually depofited; After this powder had fubfided, the red liquor was decanted, aiid to fome of it I added the acetate of lead, by which, a co- pious precipitation was produced. Experiment 9.—A beautiful pale red--co- lour, but no precipitate, was formed by ad- [ 20 ] ding fome cauftic vegetable alkali to fome of the fame liquor, until it was faturated. Experiment 10.—The oxalic acid was ad- ded to a part of the faturated liquor of the laft experiment, but no change was produced. Experiment 11.—To another portion of the fame liquor, the fulphuric acid was added, but no change was obferved. Experiment 12.—To that part of the cal- culus which was not diffolved in experiment 6,1 again added cauftic vegetable alkali, and boiled them together; but fome remained in- foluble. It was filtered, and the liquor which paffed through the ftrainer, was faturated as before with the muriatic acid; the fame kind of precipitate was thereby obtained, but no green colour was obferved in the liquor. On adding the nitric acid to this green precipitate, when dry, no red colour was formed, as in the former, but it was diffolved. Experiment 13.—That part which remain- ed undiffolved in the, laft experiment, was treated again in the fame manner, and attend- ed with the fame phenomena precifely. Experiment 14.—A few grains of the cal- culus were triturated with the cauftic vegeta- ble alkali, which produced a ftrong fmell of volatile alkali. [ 21 ] We may conclude that the ftone, upon which, the laft foregoing experiments were performed, did not contain any carbonic acid, the effervefcence which was obferved in ex- periment 1. was, probably, only owing to a decompofition of the nitric acid, and not to a difengagement of fixed air ; we infer that the phofphoric acid exifted from experiments 2 and 8, and lime from experiment 3, although ren- dered doubtful by experiments 10 and 11. Ex- periment 4 tends to fhew that there exifted no fulphuric acid ; the exiftence of the muriatic acid is fuppofed from experiment 5 ; experi- ments 6, 7 and 8, prove the exiftence of acids; experiment 7,dete6ts agum-refin; experiments 8 and 9, the lithic and phofphoric acids; ex- periment 14, detects pofitively the volatile alkali. No. III. Analysis of stones presented to me by Dr. Bar- ton, which were taken from the kidney of a sheep. Thefe ftones which were of a green co- lour, lamellated, light, brittle, and from the fize of an hazlenut, to that of a pin's head; occupied and diftened very much, the pelvis D C 22 ] of the kidney. This diftenfion was fo great, as to have deftroyed the parenchymatous fubftance of the gland. Experiment 1.—On forty grains of thefe flones, I put fome nitric acid, and a beautiful deep red colour was inftantly formed ; and a confiderable degree of heat generated ; this colour diminiftied by the addition of water ; in cooling, a yellow powder fell to the bottom of the veffel: Befides powder, a brown info- luble matter floated on the liquor; the yellow powder was obtained by filtration, and dried, and upon examination, was found intenfely bitter and aftringent, as well as entirely folu- ble in alkohol; it was afterwards precepitated from alkohol, by water; the brown matter which floated on the furface of the fluid, was foluble in water and not in alkohol; it was alfo foluble in cauftic alkali, with which, it formed a brown mixture, but.no fmell of am- moniac was obferved; it was likewife foluble in mild pot-afh, which did not evolve any vo- latile alkali, but a very foetid odour. Some of the red liquor of this experiment, was kept in a vial about three weeks, at the end of which time, the red colour had entire- ly difappeared. [ 23 ] Experiment 2.—To the above nitric folu- tion, a few drops of the oxalic acid were ad- ded, and no alteration was obferved. Experiment 3.—Some of the nitric folu- tion,was faturated with cauftic vegetable alkali and acquired a pale red colour, but formed no precipitate. To fome of this folution, I added a few drops of the oxalic acid, and the liquor became cloudy. Experiment 4.—A quantity of vitriolic acid, was added to the faturated folution, and no change enfued. Experiment 5.—No change was produced by adding feparately the alkohol of galls and prufliate of pot-afh to the faturated nitric fo- lution. Experiment 6.—The acetate of lead, pro- duces a copious white precipitate, in the pure nitric folution. Experiment 7.—In the faturated folution, no change was produced by the nitrates of filver and mercury. Experiment 8.—Some of the fame flones were boiled in the cauftic vegetable alkali; which diffolved them entirely. The colour of the folution was almoft black. To a por- tion of this folution, diluted with rain water, C 24 ] I added fome oxalic acid ; no precipitation took place. A portion of this cauftic folution flood about three weeks in a viol and the colour had entirely difappeared. Experiment 9.—Some of the alkaline fo- lution was faturated with fulphuric acid, which formed a copious white precipitate. Experiment 10.—On adding feparately theprufliate of;'pot-afh and alkohol of galls, to feparate portions of the alkaline folution, no blue nor black colour was produced. Experiment 11.—Some of the alkaline fo- lution was faturated by the muriatic acid, which produced a white cloud, which did not fubfide until feveral hours had expired. Experiment 12.—A fragment of the fame parcel of flones was placed in a crucible and expofed to a great heat. It inftantly fwelled up, and a difagreeable odour was diflipated from it. A black coaly matter remained in the crucible. Experiment 13.—The fulphuric acid, had no action on thefe flones, without heat : it however diffolved them, when heat was ap- plied, and formed a thick black liquor, refem- bling common molaffes : The muriatic acid, had no action on them. [ 25 ] Experiment 14.—A quantity of thefe ftones were boiled in diftilled water for an hour. Nothing feemed diffolved ; when cool, the liquor did not change the colour of litmus paper and no precipitate was obferved on cooling. Conclusions from the foregoing experiments. Is not the exiftence of the lithic acid, proved by experiment 1 ? The moft fenfible proof of which, was the formation of the red colour by the nitric acid ; it ftained the ikin? wood, ivory, and glafs—red; which is a cha- racteriftic mark of the lithic acid. The fame colour was obtained from No. 2, but by a different treatment. See experiment 8, p. 19 . Every author, whofe works I have examined, declares that the lithic acid exifts only in the human urinary calculus, except Dr. Pearfon who found it in gouty concretions.* But we have in this experiment, a ftrong evidence of jts exiftence in the urinary calculus of a fheep. It feems probable that a gum refin exifted in this ftone. The yellow powder which was infoluble in the acid, (in experiment l), was * Philofophlcal Magazine, Vol, II. p. 132. C 26 ] entirely diffolved in alkohol, and precipitated from it by water, by which circumftance, a refin is diftinguifhed; and the brown matter was, on the other hand, foluble in water and not in alkohol. Experiment 2, fhews that there exifted no lime ; but experiment 3, is a pofitive proof of the contrary, and fhews that the nitric acid in experiment 2, prevented the combination of the acid of fugar with the calcarious earth. Experiment 4, does not invalidate the above inference; becaufe the fulphuric acid will not always, and does very feldom, form evident cryftals of felenite when poured into lime- water. Experiment 8, is an exception to the inference from experiment 3. Experiments 5 and 10, declare the non- exiftence of iron. Experiment 6, exiftence of phofphoric acid. Experiment 7, non-exiftence of muriatic acid. No. IV. Analysis of an urinary calculus, taken from a womm by Dr. Shippen, the Father of the present Professor. It was about the fize of a pullets egg, of the fhape of a heart, depreffed on two fides, [ 27 ] the colour in the infide was brown, the next layer was white ; which was feparated from another layer, which was yellow, by a hard and dark layer. The next layer was of a yellow and brown colour intermixed, and the moft external was of a light brown colour, and very eafily feparated from that with which it was connected. See Plate I. Tlate I. Experiment i.—A part of the external lay- er was diffolved in the nitric acid, as we'll without, as with the affiftance of heat, w-ith efFervefcence. It was all diffolved and the liquor appeared clear ; but after fome eva- poration it affumed a red colour. This was a proof of the lithic acid. [ 28 ] Experiment 2.—I added to fome of this folution fome fugar of lead, diffolved in rain water, which produced a white precipitate— a proof of the exiftence of phofphoric acid. Experiment 3.—The nitric folution after ftanding fome time depofited large cryftals which I could not examine as they were loft by an accident. Experiment 4.—To another part of this ftone, moftly from the infide, I added fome ni- tric acid. By evaporation, this affumed a much redder colour than was obferved in the laft experiment.* The acid was entirely evaporated and the refidue remained very red. Diftilled water was then added, which did not alter the colour, but upon adding a few drops of the nitric acid the red colour was com- pletely deftroyed and could not be reftored by evaporation even to perfect drynefs. Experiment 5.—To fome of the clear li- quor I added fome oxalic acid—it remained unchanged; confequently, there exifted no lime. Experiment 6.—To another portion was added the acetate of lead and a white precipi- * This fhews that the lithic acid, may not only be mete abundantly, in one ftone than another ; but alfo in different parts of the fame ftone. C 29 ] tate was formed. This experiment coincides with the 2nd. Experiment 7.—16 grains of this ftone were expofed to a violent heat in a crucible ; after fome time it became black, and took fire ; prefenting the appearance of the glow worm. The remainder was nothing but white afhes, weighing only three grains. The lofs of weight was owing to the diffvpation of aque- ous and perhaps of animal or mucilagenous matter. Experiment 8—200 grains of this ftone were put into a glafs tube, hermetically fealed at one end, and coated with a mixture of dung and clay; the clofed extremity was expofed to the heat of Lewis's Furnace, and the other con- nected witk a pneumato-chemical apparatus ; in a fhort time air was difengaged; the firft two ounce meafures I did not examine, as I fuppofed it was the air of the tube ; the fe- cond two ounce meafures, being examined by the eudiometer confifted of 60 parts of car- bonic acid, and the remaining 40 were nitro- gene ; two ounces more came over—this con- fifted of carbonic acid 10, and of azote 90 ; no inflamable air, or oxigene could be difco- vered; the tube was then broken, and the matter examined, which emitted a ftrong fmell E [ 30 ] of ammoniac, and a brownilh fublimate of an empyreumatic fmell, adhered to the fides of the tube.* Some of the fame ftone, finely powdered, was put into a very fmall quantity of nitric acid, and placed upon Argand's lamp, by means of which the acid was foon evaporated. I now added by drops, the fame nitric acid, which produced true inflamation, like that of phofphorus ; but it was not attended with the crackling noife—white afhes were left behind. This inflamation could be produced at plea- fure, by adding the acid. No. V. Analysis of a stone taken from the intestines of a horse. This ftone was large, laminated, folid and of a dark colour. See plate II.f * Mr. Fourcroy, has made an experiment fomewhat fimilar, but obtained no gas. Annal. de ChemL-. Tome. xvi. p. 141. Mr. Hales obtained large quantities of elaftic fluid, Veget. Statics. \ The horfe in whofe inteftines this ftone was found, ufed to work in a mill, where gypfum was occafionallv ground ; and the owners were accuftomed to feed him on corn, which had been patted through the mill ftones, for the purpofe of cleaning them; there confequently muft have been a large quantity of gypfum mixed with it. The current opinion was, that the prefence of calculi, and the confequent death of the horfe, was occafionecl by [ 31 ] Hate II. • I. TREATMENT WITH THE MURIATIC ACID. A quantity of this acid was poured upon one drachm of the ftone, pulverized and ex- pofed to the heat of an Argand lamp ; in 30 minutes it was all diffolved, without efferve- fcence (a) except three grains which remained at the bottom of the veffel, prefenting the the gypfum. But the following experiments clearly de- monftrate, that the formation of the calculus on which I experimented (for feven others, were taken from the fame horfe) did not depend on the prefence of lime. C 32 ] appearance of mucilage ; this folution, after filtration, was diluted with pump water, and afterwards fubmitted to the following experi- ments. (b) A few grains of the oxalic acid diffolved in pump water, were added to a quantity of the folution, but no change was obferved. Upon adding fome lime-water, a copious white precipitate was produced. To another portion of the folution, fulphu- ric acid was added, but no change enfued. Cc) The muriate of barytes, was added to fome of the folution, but no alteration was perceived. II. TREATMENT WITH THE VITRIOLIC ACID. Sixty grains of the ftone, were expofed an hour, in half an ounce of the fulphuric a- cid, diluted with two ounces of pump-water, to the heat of Argand's lamp. It was all dif- folvec^ except fix grains of black mucilagenous matter,which fwam on the furface of the fluid. During the folution, no effervefcence (d) was obferved. A quantity of this folution was faturated with cauftic pot-afh, which formed a white brown precipitate. In this fituation it was fuffered to remain twelve hours, at the end of which time, a number of cryftals (e) [ 33 ] in fine needles were formed, fufpended in the mixture. III. TREATMENT WITH THE NITRIC ACID. The folution of fixty grains of the fame ftone in this acid, was attended with the fame circumftances which were obferved in the two former folutions (f) A few drops of the muriated barytes were poured upon a quantity of the nitric folution, and no change was obferved; but by adding fome fulphuric acid, a white cloud was formed (g) A few drops of the oxalate of pot-afh were added to another portion of the nitric folu- tion, and no change was perceived. To ano- ther portion of the folution, fulphuric acid was added, and in like manner no alteration produced (h) By adding fome of the nitrate of filver to fome of the folution, a fmall white precipitate was formed, which refembled exactly that produced by adding fome of the nitrate of filver to the nitric acid, part of which, had been ufedin the folution of the ftone, diluted with water (i) The acetate of lead, diffolved in diftilled water, was added to a quantity of the folution; [ 34 ] and a precipitate, as white and as thick as cream, was formed (j) To a quantity of nitric acid, (part of which had been ufed in the folution of the ftone,) diluted with rain water, I afterwards added fome of the acetate of lead, of the fame vial as before, but no change refulted from the experiment. A quantity of the nitric folution was fatu- rated with cauftic pot-afh, and a copious brown precipitate was thereby formed. After filtration, the precipitate was dried, and then affumed a yellow colour. This precipitate deliquefced (k) {lightly and diffolved with dif- ficulty, and only partially, in cold and boil- ing water ; a quantity of this precipitate was entirely diffolved in the fulphuric acid. A piece of the inteftinal calculus was tri- turated in a mortar with cauftic pot-afh,and a difengagement of ammoniac was fmelled (1). The fame thing was perceived by triturating the pot-alh with the refidue from the evapo- ration of the nitrous folution of this ftone. A fragment of the fame ftone, weighing 44 grains, was expofed in a crucible to a high degree of heat. At firft it became white ; then black ; and after fome time in- flamed, like charcoal: when cool it refumed [ 35 ] the white colour, weighing only 20 grains__ was very porous and retained its former fi- gure. It was then boiled a confiderable time in water, but was infoluble. By treating this ftone with the nitric acid to detect the lithic acid, no red colour could be obtained. After making a folution of the ftone with nitric acid, and faturating it with cauftic vegetable alkali, which produced a yellow precipitate, and fuffering it to ftand fe- veral days, I could perceive no cryftals except thofe of nitre, adhering to the fide of the vef- fel. The fame experiment was made on the ftone in the muriatic acid, but with a different refult. Cryftals refembling muriate of foda were obtained. A part of the ftone was partially diffolved in cauftic vegetable alkali, filtered and fuffer- ed to ftand feveral days, at the end of which time, a number of fmall cryftals were depo- fited at the bottom of the veffel. Having pulverized fome of the ftone, I added to it fome. mild vegetable alkali, and expofed it to heat in a crucible ; when taken from the fire nitric acid was added to it. A number of red fpots were obferved at the bottom of the veffel, while the powder was [ 36 ] diffolving. I made the fame experiment with this ftone without the pot-afh, but could not produce the red fpots. Inferences Jrom the foregoing experiments. The non-exiftence of the carbonic acid is clearly afcertained by experiments a. d. & f. From b ck h it appears that there does not exift any lime. The non-exiftence of fulphuric acid, as well as the muriatic, is likewife proved by c g and i. We prefume that the exiftence of animal mucilage is afcertained by the three acid fo- lutions 1, 2, 3. The exiftence of the phofphoric acid by j, and of its combination with clay and am- moniac, we have prefumptive evidence in e. The actual exiftence of ammoniac is pofi- tively determined by 1. The cryftals in e. were the regenerated calculus ; and the precipitate k was the the fame. Some inteftinal calculi are cryfta- lized in needles fomewhat refembling the cryftals I obtained. I made the following experiment upon fix diftinct urinary calculi, taken from different patients, with a view of detecting the lithic [ 37 ] acid. The experiment was performed upon each feparately. The ftone being diffolved in the cauftic ve- getable alkali, and faturated with the mu- riatic acid, a precipitate was obtained, which was dried; when nitric acid was poured on it, a red colour was formed (the evidence of the lithic acid,) in one only of the fix: An uri- nary calculus of a fheep, an urinary calculus of a cow, and the inteftinal calculus of a horfe were treated in the fame way, but no red co- lour was produced. To feparate portions of diftinct human urinary calculi, I added nitric acid, and after- wards evaporated them to drynefs; by which, a rofe or deep red, colour, was produced in all. An inteftinal ftone of a horfe, and an urinary calculus of a cow were treated in the fame manner, but no red colour was produced. It has been obferved above, that this red colour was formed in the fheep's ftone by pouring the nitric acid on it immediately; this was the only inftance, among all the cal- culi, in which the red colour could be formed in that manner. By adding the muriatic and nitric acids to frefh urine, the lithic acid was precipitated after (landing fome hours in the form of dark [ 38 ] red chryftals. On thefe cryftals, I poured fome nitric acid. They were diffolved with effervefcence, and the liquor poffeffed the co- lour of the acid ufed. On the fediment of urine dried, I poured fome of the fame nitric acid-—it likewife ef- fervefced, but did not form a red colour. No. VI. Analysis of a calculus, taken out of the kidney of a cow. Hate III. JJHanaltt dtlf Jmn.v Atmjcuty.' This ftone was prefented to me, by Dr. Meafe ; it had the figure of a branch of the pelvis, having a protuberance on each fide of it; the greater part of the furface, was tuber- culated, more particularly, at the extremities; C 39 ] the external furface of the ftone, had, in fome places, a metallic appearance, refembling po- lifhed gold. On removing the external coat, which was formed of very fine laminae, the next appeared flill more brilliant, and was diffufed over the entire furface; on breaking the ftone, the laminse were thin and brittle, refembling mica, and the faw penetrated with greater difficulty than in any other ftone I examined: The metallic appearance, was not deftroyed by rubbing nitric acid over it, al- though it effervefced violently. On rubbing fome mercurial ointment on it; it became much darker. Experiment 1.—Apart of this ftone, was boiled in cauftic alkali, by which a large pro- portion was diffolved ; it was fuffered to cool and then filtered. Experiment 2.—To fome of this liquor I added, a few drops of the oxalic acid; no change was obferved; but on adding fome lime water to it, a cloud was produced, which immediately difappeared; this feems to prove that the lime was not taken up by the alkali, as lime was evidently detected by another ex- periment. Experiment 3.—Some of this ftone, moft- ly of the internal part, was boiled in nitric [ 40 ] acid ; a violent effervefcence enfued ; it was evaporated but no red colour was produced. When it was dry, diftilled water was added, till all the acid was thrown off. A large quantity of the ftone remained diffolved in the liquor. Experiment 4.—To a portion of this li- quor I added a portion of the oxalic acid ; a white precipitate immediately enfued. Experiment 5.—To another portion I add- ed fome acetate of lead ; no precipitate was obferved: but upon adding a drop of the phofphoric acid, a white precipitate was thrown down. Experiment 6.—To another part, was add- ed the alkohol of galls—no black colour was produced: The fame thing was tried with the prufliate of pot-aih, feparately, with the fame refult. Experiment 7.—With muriatedbarytes, it formed no precipitate. Experiment 8.—With the nitrate of mer- cury, no precipitate was formed ; but on add- ing one drop of muriatic acid, a copious white precipitate, was obtained. Experiment 9.—Apiece of this ftone, was rubbed in a mortar, with cauftic vegetable C 41 ] alkali, by which a ftrong fmell of ammoniac, was produced. Conclusions from the above experiments. Experiment 3 evinces the prefence of the carbonic, but not the lithic acid. Experiment 4 proves the exiftence of lime. Experiment 5 Ihews the non-exiftence of phofphoric acid. Experiment 6 the non-exiftence of iron. Experiment 7 the non-exiftence of ful- phuric acid. Experiment 8 fhews that the muriatic acid, was not prefent. Experiment 9 pofitively proves the exift- ence of ammoniac. FINIS. Me.dL.Uist. 3-76 Jl7e- 1861 . Mi