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GRAVEL AND STONE.

soap, may be frequently put into the patient's drink ; and, if therebe no inflammation, he may drink small gin-punch.

Persons subject to a suppression of urine ought to live very tem-perate. Their diet should be light, and their liquor diluting. Theyshould avoid all acid and austere wines, should take sufficient ex-ercise, lie hard, and avoid study and sedentary occupations.*

Gravel and Stone. (Lithiasis.J

These diseases are the consequence of a peculiar disposition ofthe fluids, and more particularly the secretion of the kidneys toform a calculous matter, and have been supposed to be owing tothe presence of an acid principle in them, called the uric acid ; anopinion which seems to be confirmed by the benefit deuved from acourse of alkaline medicines.

When small stones are lodged in the kidneys, or dischargedalong' with the urine, the patient is said to be afflicted with thegravel. If one of these stones happen to make a lodgment in thebladder for some time, it accumulates fresh matter, and at lengthbecomes too large to pass off" with the urine. In this case the pa-tient is said to have t he stone.

Causes. — The stone and gravel may be occasioned by high living ; the use of astringent wines ; a sedentary life : lying too hot,•oft, or too much on the back ; the constant use of water impreg-nated with earthy or stony particles ; aliments of an astringentor windy nature, &c. It may likewise proceed from an heredita-ry disposition. Persons in the decline of life, and those who havebeen much afflicted with the gout or rheumatism, are most liableto it.

Symptoms. — Small stones or gravel in the kidneys occasion fix-ed pain in the loins, sickness, vomiting, and sometimes bloodyurine, and not unfrequently with a slight suppression of urine.When the stone descends into the ureter, and is too large to passalong with ease, all the above symptoms are increased ; the painextends towards the bladder ; the thigh and leg of the affectedside are benumbed ; the testicles are drawn upwards, and the urineis obstructed.

A stone in the bladder is known from the pain at the time, aswell as before and after making water ; from the frequent inclina-tion to void the urine ; from the urine coming away by drops, orstopping suddenly when it was running in a full stream ; by a vio-lent pain in the neck of the bladder upon motion, especially onhorseback, or in a carriage on a rough road ; or from a white,thick, copious, stinking, mucous sediment in the urine ; from anitching at the top of the penis ; from bloody urine ; from aninclination to go to stool during the discharge of urine ; from the

* Rubbing the abdomen and inside of the thighs with the volatile liniment, composedof equal parts of spirits of hartshorn and oil, will sometimes relieve a suppression ofurine ; or ten drops of the tincture of the muriate of iron, given every ten minutes, ina wine-glassful of water, will frequently produce the same effect, if the suppression bea consequence of spasm of the neck of the bladder. Ep.