Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

590

Materia Medica

Antilithics

Uva Ursi acts by restoring the urine to its healthy state, but I cannot say that it does not sometimes dissolve the stone in some measure. Uva Ursi is a bitter as well as an astringent, the good effects of Uva Ursi is partly owing to its bitterness as well as to its astringency perhaps they are owing in a certain proportion to the mixture of the two qualities as they exist in the Uva Ursi it probably produces good effects by its tonic powers but it is frequently usefull in inflamitory Nephritis which requires bleeding. Genardo says that calculi is dissolved by an acid that is distilled from Uva Ursi, but this vegitable contains no disenguaged acid.

Potash. This has been recommended as an antilithic of a powerfull kind. A Boy in St Thomas's Hospital who was affected with the symptoms of calculous was sounded and the stone plainly felt, he took a lixivium of Potash and upon examination after dying of a different disease, the stone was soft and rugged which in a measure proves the solvent power of Potash. I cannot say much from my own experience having seldom employ’d it.