A chymical examination of the mineral water of Schooley's Mountain : together with a physical geography of the first range of mountains extending across New-Jersey, from the Hudson to the Delaware / by Samuel L. Mitchill & William James M'neven.

  • Mitchill, Samuel L. (Samuel Latham), 1764-1831.
Date:
1828
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A chymical examination of the mineral water of Schooley's Mountain : together with a physical geography of the first range of mountains extending across New-Jersey, from the Hudson to the Delaware / by Samuel L. Mitchill & William James M'neven. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

    26/30
    00 plies himself clbsely to his professional avocations. It is equally es- tablished, that the chalybeate acts upon the sabulous matter; for this is, at length, evacuated along with the urine which it blackens, and the dark colour, as well as the discharge of sand, continues more or less, according as the previous disuse of the water has been longer or shorter. If, after this, the mineral water be persevered in, it pre- vents the formation of any new concretions, for the discharge of the dark sediment ceases, the urine returns to its natural colour, and there is no new nephritic symptom. Such is the course invariably experienced by the patient at the spring, where air and exercise, and a vacant mind go hand in hand, with the drinking of the chalybeate : but in the city, where, in spite of the physician's remonstrances, profitable business occasionally forces him to longer sittings, greater application, and stronger exer- tions than arc compatible with the delicacy of his health, he still has an attack at distant intervals, though comparitively so slight, that it scarcely deters him from the indulgence of books and study. A speech of two or three hours in court, or any vehement affection of mind, will bring on a paroxysm as readily as would a thorough wet- ting, or a fortnight's confinement. This seems to be one of those cases that proves the superior effi- cacy of air and exercise, and moral treatment, in a chronic disease, to any other remedy whatever. Even the salutary effects of that medicine which proved most beneficial, must appear to have been derived, in a very subordinate degree, from its purely medical qual- ities. 1 administered carbonate of iron, combined with large dilu- tion, to the patient, during his sedentary period, without warding off, or apparently mitigating his complaint; but, at this very interval, a visit to his father's farm on Long-Island, and leading there a farmer's life for some weeks, was followed by a remission of his disorder. ^Nevertheless, to the iron contained in the Schooley's Mountain wa- ter, must be ascribed some portion of the relief procured. When the chalybeate is drank for some days after the worst attacks, it evidently effects a change in the state of the kidneys, and in particular, ap- pears to find there, and to combine with, a portion of sulphur, with which it forms a snlphuret, distinguishable by its black colour. This unusual quantity of sulphur in the urine seems to be connected with the morbid condition of the kidneys, for its evacuation is a sure precursor of amendment, and during the further continuance of the water, the accumulation of gravel and sulphur is, if not altogether, at least very much lessened. The calculous affection of this patient was constantly aggravated by acescent food and acid drinks, and therefore appears to be owing to a deposition of uric acid, which admits of being precipitated with- in the body by the superior affinity of a stronger acid for its base. One cause, undoubtedly, of his being better of late, is the careful avoidance of every acid drink. Another property of the Schooley's Mountain water is, that the