deposited for that purpose; may it not be concluded, that the stone of the
bladder might be dissolved by the gastric juice of fish of prey, as of
crabs, or pike; or of voracious young birds, as young rooks or hawks, or
even of calves? Could not these experiments be tried by collecting the
gastric juice by putting bits of sponge down the throats of young crows,
and retracting them by a string in the manner of Spallanzani? or putting
pieces of calculus down the throat of a living crow, or pike, and observing
if they become digested? and lastly could not gastric juice, if it should
appear to be a solvent, be injected and born in the bladder without injury
by means of catheters of elastic resin, or caoutchouc?

M. M. Diluents. Cool dress. Frequent change of posture. Frequent horizontal
rest in the day. Bathe the loins every morning with a sponge and cold
water. Aerated alcaline water internally. Abstinence from all fermented or
spirituous liquors. Whatever increases perspiration injures these patients,
as it dissipates the aqueous particles, which ought to dilute the urine.
When the constitution begins to produce gravel, it may I believe be
certainly prevented by a total abstinence from fermented or spirituous
liquors; by drinking much aqueous fluids; as toast and water, tea, milk and
water, lemonade; and lastly by thin clothing, and sleeping on a hardish
bed, that the patient may not lie too long on one side. See Class IV. 2. 2.
2. There is reason to believe, that the daily use of opium contributes to
produce gravel in the kidnies by increasing absorption, when they are
inflamed; in the same manner as is done by fermented or spirituous liquor.
See Class I. 3. 2. 11.

When the kidnies are so obstructed with gravel, that no urine passes into
the bladder; which is known by the external appearance of the lower part of
the abdomen, which, when the bladder is full, seems as if contracted by a
cord between the navel and the bladder; and by the tension on the region of
the bladder distinguishable by the touch; or by the introduction of the
catheter; the following methods of cure are frequently successful.
Venesection to six or eight ounces, ten grains of calomel, and an infusion
of senna with salts and oil, every three hours, till stools are procured.
Then an emetic. After the patient has been thus evacuated, a blister on the
loins should be used; and from ten to twenty electric shocks should be
passed through the kidnies, as lar