Considerations on the medicinal use of factitious airs and on the manner of obtaining them / [Thomas Beddoes].

  • Thomas Beddoes
Date:
[1794?]-1796
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Considerations on the medicinal use of factitious airs and on the manner of obtaining them / [Thomas Beddoes]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    (972) tractions would produce a fimilar effect in the living body, although they might, be difturbed in their operation, by the vitality. of the machine, and the variety of the principles of which it is compofed. The nitric acid as may be fuppofed, was one of the firft fub{tances that occurred to meas fit for my purpofe, for it is known to contain about four parts of vital air, united to one of azote, with a certain proportion of water. Thefe principles can be. fepa- rated from each other, by the intervention of many other bodies; as chemifts find every day in their ope- rations. I was led befides to give a preference to the nitric acid from obferving, that it diflolves very completely the refinous bafe of the bile: I have fince found that the celebrated M. Fourcroy had made the fame obfervation before me. ) bby, Before I began to take the nitric acid, I confulted all the accounts of it that I could procure, with the view of learning fomething of its effects on. the human body. The refult of this inquiry was but little fatisfactory, for 1 only found that it had been given as a diuretic in very infignificant quantities, or recommended in general terms, where the mineral acids are fuppofed to be ufeful; I did not think myfelf warranted to adminifter it to others from fuch imperfect. information, but I refolved to take it myfelf, and I thought I was particularly qualified to determine its effects, as I had reafon for a long time before to complain of my liver. fn September 1793, I. began to take the nitric acid: I mixed about a drachm of the {trongeft that I could procure, with a fufficient quantity of water, and I was happy to find, that I could finifh that quantity in the courfe of a few hours, without any difagreeable effet from it. Vhe following is the Journal that I kept.of myfelf at the trme. — . 11th September, 1ft Day.—Took at different times about a drachm of ftrong nitric acid diluted with water. Soon after drinking it, I] feel a fenfe of warmth in my ftomach and cheft, but I find no difa- greeable fenfation from it, nor any ether material effect.
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