(From a stone, and to break). An appellation of medicines supposed to break or dissolve the stone in the bladder; cat-culifragus. Though the different stones generated in the human bladder may require different solvents when out of the body, and though art has not yet afforded a medicine, which, when injected into the bladder, will, without injury, dissolve the contained stone, we must not conclude that no medicine has this power, when taken into the stomach, for the solvents already mentioned (see Calculus) certainly produce some effect on the urine; and more powerful ones may be found, which will destroy the stone, without hurting the human body. The water into which the boiled white of egg melts will liquefy myrrh, but will give no uneasiness to the eye.

We have spoken already of the greater number of lithontriptics, particularly the alkalis and the bitters, which act, as wc have said, by, checking the acidity in the stomach, on which the formation of calculus appears to depend. To the authorities before quoted, that the alkali penetrates with undiminished properties to the bladder, or at least with properties which arise from its union with the lithic acid, we may add. that of professor Mascagni, of Sienna, supported by that of Hufeland. The pure kali, it is remarked, may be taken in the quantity of a drachm daily, in a pint of veal broth, or a quart of pure water; and the carbonated kali in three times that dose. The liquor lithontripticus Loosii consists of a drachm of muriated lime dissolved in two ounces of pure water, of which thirty drops are to be taken four times a day, and the dose increased as the stomach can bear it. The aerated water, viz. water combined with carbonic acid gas, or with carbonated alkali and this gas, in excess, have been often used with success as lithontriptics.