The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-07-26 00:00:00

saline particles occasion nervous irritation, and tic dolo-
roux in some, and leprous incrustations in others.
" Second. That, when alkaline treatment is not required,
or when aperient or effervescent drinks are more indicated,
this preparation is the most eligible, because an acidulated
syrup, being separate, may be added to the Solution of Mag-
nesia, in any desirable proportion, so that either the acid or
alkaline qualities may be left to prevail, according to age and
circumstances, and the option of the prescriber.
" When taken with a small proportion of Acidulated Syrup,
the Solution still contains a sufficient quantity of Magnesia
to correct such acids as may be met with in the animal
economy. The brisk effervescence directly settles the
stomach, and thousands of proofs might be adduced to au-
thenticate this remedial property in cases of fever, nausea, or
Sea-Sickness." _

Although this concentrated solution has been only a few
years known in the field of commerce, yet I had taken great
pains to make it known in the field of science. Dr. Hope,
at my request, showed it to his class, in 1813,1814, and 1815.
Dr. Duncan gave it a place in the Edinburgh Dispensary. for
1819, and made honourable mention of my name as the
inventor. Dr. Cummins, Inspector of Hospitals, gave me
strong written recommendations, in 1826, WHICH Report I
ORSERVE PIRATED BY AN IMITATOR, NOW STARTING IN
LONDON IN 1839. The lecture given by me at the College
of SUrgeons, and the recommendations of Drs. James John-
son, and Duncan, are also mis-appropriated from the original
article for which they were intended; but Dr. Johnson is
happily alive, and his love of truth and fair dealing will
settle whether he praises Dr. Murray's preparation, or lauds
any late imitators of it.
A clear and candid detail of this improvement was also
published by me, in the Literary Journal, at Newry, in Jan.
1819, from which I beg leave to quote the conclusion, as
follows :—Dr. M`Donnell, of Belfast, fortunately for his
circle, is well, and can confirm the practical importance of
the FLUID MAGNESIA, and my undoubted priority of its
introduction into medicine, to supplant the solid earth.

" I have thus far endeavoured to discriminate the diseases
and symptoms requiring its use ; however innocent, it cannot
be supposed to be a remedy for every complaint—to misap-
ply it might, in some cases, occasion disappointment and
consequent disrepute. It may therefore be right to recapitulate,
that in acidities, bilious, or costive habits, gravels arising from
sand or calculi, gout caused by deranged functions of the
digestive organs—thirst, heat, irritability of stomach, and
head-ache,'if it originate from sympathy with that organ, are
the cases where its advantages have been distinctly experi-
enced, and where judging a priori, it would be expected to do
good. Its use is now established as a corrector of the irrita-
bility attending fever, or pregnancy, as an agreeable diluent
and antacid, and as a mild and permanent aperient, dissolv-
ing and removing the contents of the bowels, without stimu-
lating or exciting their muscular coats, like drastic purgatives,
which never fail to confirm the constipation they were meant
to remove.

" Through the kindness of Dr. McDonnell,* I procured,
about four years ago, a piece of calculus, composed chiefly of
uric acid, and dissolved it partially in a glass of the solution,
at the temperature of 98 degs. of Fahrenheit's scale. It was
this fact which induced me to recommend it in the Ihlfast
papers in September 1815, as the best solvent of urinal'Y cal-
culi applied per injectionem in vesicam urinariam since the
solutions of potass or soda were found so objectionable for
that purpose, because, if sufficiently active, they were pro-
ductive of irritation ; if weak and largely diluted, they were
inert and ineffectual.

`• By boiling a teaspoonful of the solution over a lamp or
candle, the magnesia is seen to fall in beautiful flakes. It is
very advantageous that in its internal exhibition no degree
of animal heat is sufficient to decompose the solution, so that
what is not neutralised by acids, passes through the system.
This most valuable property -enables it to pass through the
circulation, without the risk of forming depositions or con-
cretions, a danger to which the common magnesia is liable.
" J. MURRAY, M.D.

"* This respected name I cannot mention without indulging my
grateful feelings, for the candour, impartiality, and encouragement
I invariably experienced at his hand. He knows that in 1808-9
made various experiments on the different acids evolved in the
stomach, and that since that time I have been engaged in recom-
mending and preparing the solutions of magnesia and marble : he
has on every occasion assisted me with his valuable advice, and
vindicated my claim to the introduction of this improvement, seve-
ral years before any attempt was made at imitating the solution."

Gentlemen, I conclude by expressing a lope that the
Provincial Medical Association will be as ready to protect
and encourage a useful medicine, when its nature and pro-
perties are candidly explained, as they would justly be willing
to reject and reprobate any concealed or undescribed pro-
duction. Should any gentleman recommend respectable
agents in their respective towns, samples will be given free
of expense to afford a fair trial, should any doubt exist ; and
supplies can be furnished by the Apothecaries' Company of
Liverpool.
Several interesting cases were likewise submitted to the
meeting, and many others it was found necessary to post-
pone sine die. Amongst these were some cases by Mr.
Wainwright, of Everton ; Mr. Woodcock; Mr. Harbord, of
Toxteth-park, and others. The last case was one of an
immense tumour. It is expected, however, that these cases
will appear in the annual volume of the association.