An ACCOUNT of the CONTRIBUTION for making Mrs. Stephens's MEDICINES public; with ſome REASONS for it, and ANSWERS to the moſt Remarkable Objections made againſt it.

THE falſe Pretences to Methods of diſſolving Stones in the Uri⯑nary Paſſages have been ſo many, and ſome of them ſo pernicious, that Phyſicians of Character and Experience ſeem for ſome time to have left off enquiring into the Nature and Efficacy of Medicines ſaid to diſſolve Stones; contenting themſelves with preſcribing opiate and lenient Remedies, where the Stones were ſuppoſed too large to paſs; or adviſing the Operation for thoſe in the Bladder, if the Age, Strength and other Circumſtances of the Patient made it proper to be attempted. But ſtill the thing is not impoſſible; the active Principles diſ⯑covered in Stones have always afforded ſome Hopes to the careful Enquirers into Nature, that a ſafe Diſſolvent might at laſt be found; and, what is above all, Matters of Fact may juſtly claim a fair Hearing, eſpecially in a Caſe of great Import⯑ance. In order to obtain this for Mrs. Stephens's Medicines, I ſome time ago publiſhed a Pamphlet, entituled, Ten Caſes of Perſons who have taken Mrs. Stephens's Medicines for the Stone; with an Abſtract of ſome Experiments, tending to illuſtrate [...]eſe Caſes. Since this a Contribution has been begun, and is now carried on at Mr. Drummond's, Banker at Charing-croſs, for the raiſing 5000l. in order to purchaſe the Secret from Mrs. Stephens; and his Grace the Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury; the Right Honourable the Earl of Godolphin, Lord Privy Seal; his Grace the Duke of Richmond and Lenox; his Grace the Duke of Montague; the Right Honourable the Earl of Pembroke; the Right Honourable the Earl of Scarborough; the Right Honourable the Lord Viſcount Lonſdale; the Right Reverend the Lord Biſhop of Glouceſter; the Right Reverend the Lord Biſhop of Oxford; the Right Honourable the Lord Baltimore; the Right Honourable Arthur Onſlow, Eſq; Speaker of the Houſe of Commons; the Right Honour⯑able Stephen Poyntz, Eſq; and the Honourable Thomas Townſhend, Eſq; have conſented to become Truſtees and Judges between the Public and Mrs. Stephens, and have taken Dr. Shaw and Myſelf into their Number. Every 1000l. as it ariſes, is to be veſted in South Sea Annuities, in the Names of the Truſtees, and when the 5000l. is completed, Mrs. Stephens will diſcover her Me⯑dicines. They will then be made public, and tried in the Hoſpitals, in the moſt ſtrict and authentic manner, upon Perſons who are to be examined by the Catheter both before and after taking them. She is to have the Intereſt of the 5000l. from the time of diſcovering her Medicines, in Conſideration of the great Profits which ſhe forfeits by diſcovering them; and the Principal itſelf, whenever it ſhall appear to the Truſtees, or a Majority of them, that her Medicines are able to diſſolve Stones in the Blad⯑der; but if this does not appear, the Principal will be returned to the Contributors. Theſe are the Propoſals which appeared moſt reaſonable and practicable to the Gentlemen whom I conſulted in this Affair; and I beg Leave to aſſure the Public, that had I known a better Scheme, I ſhould have embraced it with ſtill more Readineſs; but I hope, ſmall Difficulties and Objections will be over⯑looked, and I ſhall now endeavour, in the beſt manner I can, to remove all ſuch conſiderable ones as I have heard mentioned, giving firſt ſome Reaſons, which ſeem to me to render the preſent Propoſals worthy of the Encouragement of all generous Minds.

It has been a prevailing Notion, that Stones of the urinary Paſſages cannot be diſſolved by any Liquid, except ſuch as is too acrimonious for the Paſſages themſelves. But this is plainly a Miſtake. For Monſieur Littre, a Member of the Royal Aca⯑demy of Sciences at Paris, found, that the com⯑mon Waters of Paris, one of which leaves great Incruſtations upon the Pipes thro' which it runs, diſſolved Stones, even without Heat; and there is an Account of his Experiments in the Memoirs of that Academy for the Year 1720. Dr. Hales alſo waſted ſeveral Gravel-ſtones both in warm and cold Water, and found, that ‘"thoſe in warm Water diſſolved much ſooner than the other."’ Hoemaſtaticks, p. 216. And it appears by the Ex⯑periments which I have publiſhed, that Thames Water, New River Water, and Pump Water are all able to diſſolve a great Variety of Stones, by barely ſuffering the Stones to lie in them, in a Heat equal to that of Urine in the Bladder. The Stones I made uſe of were taken from the human Bladder, ſome of them were exremely hard, they were of different Sizes, the biggeſt weighing about half an Ounce, and waſted away entirely. There ſeem therefore to be in Stones themſelves ſome Prin⯑ciples, which have a great Tendency to Putre⯑faction and Diſſolution, ſince theſe Effects are pro⯑duced upon them by mere Water only, either cold or moderately warm. And to ſay that an acrimo⯑nious Liquid is neceſſary for this Purpoſe, is a haſty Aſſertion, contrary to the plaineſt and moſt obvious Experiments.

However, this does not come home to the Point. Tho' a Rill of warm Water paſſing thro' the urinary Paſſages would indeed waſte all the Stones lying in them by Degrees, yet this is what no Art can procure. The great Queſtion is, Whe⯑ther Urine, which naturally increaſes Stones, as appears by the daily Experience of thoſe unhappy Perſons who are afflicted with the Stone, can be ſo changed by any Medicines, as to diſſolve Stones in the ſame manner as common Water has been ſhewn to do. In order to determine this Point, I tried what Effect my own Urine, altered by taking the Medicines, would have upon a Variety of Stones taken from the human Bladder, in a Heat equal to that of Urine in the Bladder; and found, that they were diſſolved entirely by lying in it, much in the ſame manner as the correſponding Pieces in common Water; and at the ſame time that other correſponding Pieces were increaſed by lying in common Urine with the ſame Heat. Af⯑terwards I tried the Urine of another Perſon who took Mrs. Stephens's Medicines, and found that it had the ſame diſſolving Power as mine, or rather, as I gueſſed, one ſomething greater; ſo that thoſe who take Mrs. Stephens's Medicines have evidently a Liquid running thro' the urinary Paſſages, which is a Solvent for Stones in a Heat no greater than that of thoſe Paſſages. And this is ſuch a Pre⯑ſumption in Favour of Mrs. Stephens's Medicines, as few others can pretend to from Theory.

It will probably afford ſome Satisfaction to mention what Alterations the Urine receives from theſe Medicines. Theſe are a volatile putrid Smell; [2]a turbid and milky Appearance at the time of making; a copious white Sediment, by the falling of which the Urine becomes clear, and which may be dried into a chalky Subſtance; and an alkaline Quality, as appears by Trials both with the mi⯑neral and vegetable Acids, and alſo with Syrup of Violets. Now it is not at all improbable, that Urine with theſe Properties ſhould firſt loſe its ce⯑menting, accreting Power, and then render the Stones, which lie in it, rotten by Degrees. For common Urine, when it putrefies, diſſolves its own Gravel; Wine in corrupting diſſolves its own Tartar; and the mineral Waters, as Dr. Hales has aſſured me, take up their own Sediment, after they have been putrefied for ſome time.

But what will and ought to weigh moſt with every Body is, that many Perſons, who have had all the Symptoms of Stones in the Kidneys and Bladder, have taken theſe Medicines, voided much Grit, with many plain Scales and Pieces of Stone, have become free from all their Complaints, and continued ſo. Now tho' it happens, that many Perſons who have the Stone void Pieces without taking any Medicines, yet theſe Pieces are gene⯑rally few in Number, hard when voided, and the Perſons themſelves continue to have the ſame Complaints, becauſe the main Body of the Stone ſtill remains; whereas the greateſt Part of thoſe who take Mrs. Stephens's Medicines regularly, hav⯑ing the true Symptoms of the Stone, void either Grit, or Scales, or Fragments of Stone, or all, in great Quantities, and continue to do ſo, till they are freed from their Symptoms; that is, as one may reaſonably ſuppoſe, from the great Quantities voided, till the Stone be quite waſted. This is a conſtant regular Effect, like thoſe of the principal Medicines uſed in Phyſic, all which fail ſometimes thro' the Irregularity or particular Conſtitution of the Patient, and always require a different Doſe, a different Time for taking Effect, or a peculiar Accommodation, according to the Nature of the Caſe. Let theſe common equitable Allowances be made to Mrs. Stephens's Medicines, and the Caſes of thoſe who have taken them will prove their diſſolving Power as ſtrongly, as the Virtue of any other Medicine can be proved by a like Number of Caſes, taken with the ſame Advantages and Diſadvantages; and without doubt this diſſolving Power in them will be no more queſtioned ſome Years hence, than the anodyne Quality of Opium is now.

I publiſhed Ten Caſes, but there are many more of the ſame kind, which I have either ſeen, or been well informed about. Each of theſe, ſingly taken, favours the diſſolving Power of the Medi⯑cines; Three or Four taken together become a ſtrong Preſumption; but the united Force of the whole cannot be thought leſs than a full Proof, by thoſe who know them accurately. It muſt not be expected, that theſe Medicines ſhould cure every one who takes them; ſome cannot take them regu⯑larly, ſome are negligent, and ſome have their Kidneys in great meaſure deſtroyed, or labour under incurable Diſtempers of another kind; and beſides this, ſome Stones may perhaps be too hard to be affected by them; but if they will diſſolve only the greateſt Part of the Stones of the Kidneys and Bladder, they are worthy of all Encourage⯑ment; and the Evidence for this is as great as can any way be expected. A Medicine which did really diſſolve far the greateſt Part of the Stones of the Kidneys and Bladder, need not have given greater Proofs of it in the ſame Number of Trials. Nothing more could be expected from ſuch a Me⯑dicine, but that Scales and broken Pieces of Stone of various Shapes and Sizes, ſhould be voided after taking it, in ſo ſoft or rotten a State, as to ſhew plain Marks of Diſſolution, till at laſt the Patient was freed from his Complaints. And this is the ge⯑neral Caſe here. The Scales and Pieces voided are of all Sizes capable of paſſing the Urethra, every way irregular in their Shapes, for the moſt part ſoft, or at leaſt ſo rotten, as to crumble eaſily, have their Surfaces white, and often honey-comb'd; and, in ſhort, all Appearances anſwer to the Expe⯑riments made upon the Stones with my Urine, and that of the other Perſon who took the Medicines. And beſides this, there is one Evidence from the Examination by the Catheter, as ſtrong as a ſingle one can well be. Mr. Holland, Warder of the Tower, had the Symptoms of a Stone in the Blad⯑der for Three Years, and was examined in No⯑vember laſt by Mr. Hawkins; Governor William⯑ſon, Dr. Sandys, and myſelf being preſent. We all felt a Stone. He took the Medicines, voided many Scales and Pieces of Stone, with an entire one, as large as could well paſs, and grew free from all his Complaints, tho' he was driven over the Stones in a Hackney Coach with the utmoſt Vio⯑lence. On the 19th of laſt Month he was exa⯑mined again by Mr. Hawkins, in the Preſence of Dr. Sandys, Dr. Shaw, and Mr. Roberts, when a Catheter was introduced three different times, and he was put into different Poſtures, but no Stone could be found. And there are ſeveral others, who having been found to have Stones in the Bladder by the Catheter, take the Medicines, void Pieces, and are expected to be well ſhortly.

This is in general the Evidence for the diſſolv⯑ing Power of theſe Medicines, and I cannot ſee what is to be ſaid againſt it; but indeed I do not know that any thing is ſaid againſt it by thoſe who are well informed of the Facts. However, it is not intended to do more by this Evidence, than ſo far to engage the Attention and Favour of the World, as to raiſe the 5000l. and have the Medicines made public. This is deſirable without doubt, becauſe they have plainly done moſt eminent Service in many terrible Kidney and Bladder Caſes, where the common Practice could do nothing, whether they diſſolve Stones or no. But Mrs. Stephens is ſo well aſſured of their diſſolving Power, that ſhe puts all upon that Foundation, and particularly upon their diſſolving Stones in the Bladder, ſince this admits of the moſt unqueſtionable Evidence; ſhe is content to be entirely without the Reward, if this Fact be not proved to a Majority of the Tru⯑ſtees: She is willing and deſirous, that as many Pa⯑tients as the Truſtees ſhall think fit, be put into any or all of the Hoſpitals, that they be examined by the Catheter in the ſtricteſt and moſt public man⯑ner; and if this Evidence does not anſwer, ſhe gives up all Title to the Reward, and each Con⯑tributor will have his Contribution returned. Now upon theſe Conditions, eſpecially where there are ſuch unqueſtionable Judges, a ſlender Probability ſeems ſufficient Foundation for a Contribution; nay, it would not be very improper, if there were no Probability at all; for this would at leaſt be a means of detecting a Pretence which has impoſed upon many Gentlemen of Worth and Knowledge in other Matters; and if there be no Remedy but the Operation, it is better that this be had early, while the Parts are ſound, and the Strength entire.

I will now conſider the moſt remarkable Difficul⯑ties and Objections which I have heard mentioned.

It is ſaid, That a Trial of theſe Medicines by the Catheter ought to have been made in the Ho⯑ſpitals before the Contribution was propoſed. But there are ſeveral Inconveniencies attending this Method of proceeding. Firſt, Mrs. Stephens has already more Perſons who take her Medicines than ſhe can make up for conſiſtently with her own Health, and it would be very hard to leave any of [3]theſe, in order to make up for the Hoſpitals, as every body would think in their own Caſe. Se⯑condly, When it was proved in this way, that Mrs. Stephens's Medicines were able to diſſolve Stones in the Bladder, there would be a Neceſſity for another Trial, to know, whether ſhe commu⯑nicated theſe Medicines faithfully; whereas, ac⯑cording to the preſent Propoſals, ſhe will have no Reward unleſs ſhe communicates a Medicine able to diſſolve Stones in the Bladder. Thirdly, There are in all Parts of the World many unhappy Per⯑ſons, either dying or living in Pain, thro' the Cru⯑elty of this Diſtemper, whoſe Miſery calls for the moſt ſpeedy Relief; ſo that if theſe Medicines ſhould be effectual, their Publication ought not to be deferred a Moment longer than neceſſary. But it would be a conſiderable Time before the few Trials to be made of theſe Medicines, while kept ſecret, could determine either way; and this was the principal Reaſon for contriving a Method, which admitted of an immediate Publication. Laſtly, The greater Number of Trials made when the Medicines are known to the World, will render the Judgment formed upon them much more ſatisfactory.

It is ſaid, That there is no Streſs to be laid upon what is voided, becauſe any one would do the ſame upon taking the Medicines, whether he had a Stone or no. But this Objection will vaniſh upon a due Attention to the Facts. For the Perſons who take Mrs. Stephens's Medicines void Pieces of Stone, as evidently ſuch, as if a Stone was broke in a Mor⯑tar into Pieces of all Sizes capable of paſſing the Urethra. As to the Sediment which falls to the Bottom of the Urine, it may perhaps be in great meaſure the Effect of the Medicines, but there is no Evidence that it does not alſo contain Stone, becauſe no body cares to take the Medicines without firſt being apprehenſive at leaſt that he has a Stone. On the contrary, it is probable, that ſome Part of this Sediment is Stone in an impalpable Form; for if the Stone come away in large Pieces, it may much rather be voided in an impalpable Powder from the ſame Cauſe, whatever it be; and many of the Stones in my Experiments had a white powdery Subſtance upon their Surfaces, that might be rubbed off with the Finger; which has alſo been the Caſe with ſome Pieces of Stone that have been voided.

It is ſaid, That theſe Medicines are nothing more than Soap. That Soap is one Part is very plain, but it is as plain, that there is another Part which is not Soap. Beſides, Soap will not diſſolve Stones, and if it would, this would be the Inven⯑tion of Mrs. Stephens, for which ſhe deſerves the ſame Reward as for inventing any other Solvent.

It is ſaid, That theſe Medicines may probably force Grit and Gravel from the Kidneys, and pre⯑vent the Growth of Stones, but cannot diſſolve Stones in the Bladder. But this Objection will alſo vaniſh upon a due Attention to the Facts. Moſt of the Perſons whoſe Caſes I publiſhed, had the plain⯑eſt Symptoms of Stones in the Bladder. And ſeve⯑ral of theſe, with many others, have voided Pieces too large to paſs the Ureters without Pain, and which accordingly have given Pain in paſſing the Urethra, who yet had no previous Pains in the Region of the Kidneys or Ureters. The Medi⯑cines are indeed Diuretic, but not more ſo than many others in common Uſe, and therefore their good Effects muſt ariſe from ſome other Property.

It is ſaid, That the Medicines are certainly good in Bladder Caſes, and have done much Ser⯑vice, but that their diſſolving Power may ſtill be queſtioned. Be it ſo. However, ſince they have done much Service in Bladder Caſes, where large Pieces of Stone have been voided, as was ſaid in the laſt Paragraph, theſe Bladder Caſes muſt have been Stones in the Bladder; and a Medicine which does Service in Stones of the Bladder, by making the Perſon void Pieces, and grow free from his Complaints at laſt, bids fair for a Solvent.

It is ſaid, That the Medicines are nauſeous, oc⯑caſion great Pains, and are attended with Danger. That they are very nauſeous is certain; the In⯑creaſe of Pain is alſo ſometimes very conſiderable, but then it is generally of ſhort Continuance; and they may be, and I believe are, dangerous, with⯑out proper Care and due Regulations; yet with theſe I ſee no Danger. And the Public may be aſ⯑ſured, that I, who have taken them conſtantly for a Year, cannot but have enquired very ſtrictly in⯑to this Matter. The ſame Objections may be made to many of the beſt Medicines in daily Uſe; which would be unanſwerable, did not the Care and Skill of Phyſicians remove them, or the Pain and Danger attending Diſtempers over-rule them. And in the preſent Caſe one may eaſily ſuppoſe, that Phyſicians will make great Improvements in the manner of giving theſe Medicines; and if they do not, the Medicines, upon the worſt Suppoſition, are ſtill far preferable either to the Stone, or the Operation of Cutting. I ought however to ob⯑ſerve, in Juſtice to Mrs. Stephens, that her manner of proceeding is in general very careful and ratio⯑nal, and that ſhe ſuffers much from the Negli⯑gence and Irregularity of thoſe who take her Me⯑dicines; which Phyſicians know to be often their own Caſe.

It is ſaid, That many Perſons who have the Stone, grow eaſy without any viſible Reaſon. However, this is very rare; and theſe Medicines, which are Diuretic, and occaſion Pain at firſt, are very unlikely to be Palliatives, or even to permit a Perſon to be eaſy till the Cauſe be removed.

It is ſaid, That the Sum of 5000l. is too large. But by what Rule of Eſtimation ſhall one deter⯑mine this Matter? If we ſpeak ſtrictly, and accord⯑ing to the Obligations which we are all under to con⯑ſult public Happineſs at all Events, I ſuppoſe nei⯑ther Mrs. Stephens nor any one elſe is ſo generous and diſintereſted as theſe Obligations require. However, in common Language, Mrs. Stephens has a Right to her own Secret, and may ſet what Price ſhe pleaſes upon it, eſpecially if it be no more than what ſhe may reaſonably hope to make of it in another way. And the thing itſelf, if it be a Solvent for the Stone, is ſurely of more Import⯑ance to Mankind than 5000l. can be of to the Contributors.

It is ſaid, That this will encourage Quacks. I believe not. There are few Quacks who will venture to appeal to ſuch Judges, and to ſuch a Method of Examination.

It is ſaid, That the moſt eminent Gentlemen of the Faculty ought to have been made Judges. This is very true; and one of the firſt Steps which I took was, to deſire thoſe to whom I had the Ho⯑nour to be beſt known, to become Judges in the Affair; but they declined it. However, I beg of them once more to attend to the Facts; and, if they pleaſe, to contribute, becauſe this would ſoon bring the Matter to a Trial. And I need not ſay, that their Judgment will have the greateſt Weight as well with the Truſtees, as with every body elſe.

It is ſaid, That I ought to have publiſhed all the Failures and ill Accidents as well as the Ten Caſes, which favour the diſſolving Power of the Medicines. But I have met with nothing of this kind ſufficient to render the Medicines ſuſpected either of being ineffectual or pernicious. And the full Hiſtory of theſe Medicines, with all their Uſes, Defects and Cautions, is more than I have had Opportunity to obtain, but may eaſily be [4]procured from the Trials which will be made of them in the Hoſpitals and other Places before the Reward be aſſigned. I have omitted many more Caſes in Favour of the Medicines than I have given, and it is a ſufficient Reaſon for a farther Trial of them, that ſo many Perſons have received Benefit from them, and ſo few Harm.

It is ſaid, That I myſelf have received no Be⯑nefit. My Caſe is in ſhort this: I have the Symptoms of a Stone or Gravel in both Kidneys, and of a Stone in the Bladder, having Pain in both Sides now and then; Pain at the Neck of the Bladder, in the Urethra and Glans; Pain and Difficulty in making Water; a ſudden Stoppage frequently; and I make bloody Water upon Mo⯑tion. I have been examined twice, but no Stone could be found. However, ſince my taking theſe Medicines I have voided, and do ſtill void, little angular Bits of Stone very frequently; and in ſo ſoft a State as to crumble eaſily. And as I had no conſiderable Pain before I began the Medicines, except upon Motion, ſo I ſtill am eaſy while at Reſt. The Medicines agree extremely well with my general Health; and as it ſeems to me, both that I have a Quantity of Stone ſomewhere in the Paſſages, and alſo that this is coming away gradu⯑ally, tho' very ſlowly, I go on with the Medicines, hoping that they will at laſt be effectual, and not knowing what elſe to do. And it would be very unreaſonable in me to conceal a Medicine of great Importance to Mankind, becauſe I myſelf have as yet received no Benefit from it.

I ſhall conclude with begging the Favour of all thoſe who have a compaſſionate Senſe of the Mi⯑ſery of others, to be ſo good as to pay in their Contributions of themſelves, and without Delay. This may be done in the Country by ſending them to the Poſtmaſter of any neighbouring Town, who will remit them, with the Names of each Contri⯑butor, to Mr. Drummond. It may be done in London, by ſending a Servant to Mr. Drummond's at Charing-croſs; and Care will be taken to have Liſts of the Contributors printed from time to time, for the Satisfaction of the Public. There is now upwards of 900l. paid in, and in a great Variety of Sums, from 5s. to 100l.

P.S. Mr. Binford, whoſe Caſe is related No. 2. in a Pamphlet intitled, Ten Caſes of Perſons who have taken Mrs. Stephens's Medicines, &c. and who was found to have a large Stone in the Bladder, by Mr. Patch, a Surgeon at Exeter, upon Examination with the Finger in the Anus, has continued perfectly well ever ſince he left off the Medicines; and has been examined again by the ſame Gentleman in the ſame Manner, but no Stone could be found.