Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

587

Carbonic Acid. Was I believe first introduced into practice by Dr Dobson and since used with much advantage by Drs Dawson & Thompson he first took the hint from observing that urinary calculi when immersed into malt liquors were dissolved by it. Percival & Falconer now understanding the fact under took a series of experiments to prove whether the fix’d air was the solvent power and they succeeded completely. The Waters of Pyrmont & Spa possess the solvent power and the urine becomes so impregnated that it also has the power of dissolving calculi. Of the use of carbonic acid in calculi I know nothing from experience, tho in gravel or affections of the kidneys I have used it in the shape of Seltzer water with great advantage, and when that cannot be procured as is often the case, I have substituted the saline effervessing draught; in the exhibition of which my practice has been to give the substances separate thereby producing the chemical action in the stomach:

Soda. This has also been recommended as a solvent for the calculi, the form of exhibitting the medicine is to expose the soda to heat to drive off the water of chrystalization, the following is the formula.

Rx Sulp. Soda Ʒi [1 dram] Muc G. Arab q.s [sufficient quantity]

M into pills to be taken in the course of the day.