LITHIC ACID DIATHESIS (from Gk. Xt0 Leos, lithikos, relating to stone. from Mem lithos, stone) ; URIC ACID DIATHESIS; LITTLE:MA ; LITIEURIA. All excessive production of lithic (or uric) acid and its salts in the body, coincidently with which there is lessened alkalinity of the blood, rendering that fluid less able to hold the acid and its salts in solution. The latter thus become deposited in various tissues, particularly in the joints and the spleen. Sufferers front this condition of things are said to have the lithic acid diathesis. Their urine is of a dark golden color and is more acid, of higher specific gravity, and less abundant than the urine of health. it deposits mates on cooling, and it may contain albumen or traces of sugar. The output of uric acid is low.
There is a motley group of symptoms (one writer has enumerated thirty-nine) indicative of the lithalnie state. Persons who have lived nut wisely but too well, who have eaten and drunk largely, and persons who lead sedentary lives. may manifest it. Cases are seen in members of gouty families, who may never themselves have suffered from that disease. In such a family the daughters often escape, while one son may have litInemie attacks of great severity, even though he may lead a temperate life and try in every way to avoid the conditions favoring the disorder. Cuta neous eruptions, such as eczema, are frequently associated with this diathesis; as are also dis orders of the stomach and intestines, such as furred tongue, foul breath, and constipation. It may be accompanied by symptoms of a torpid liver. There may be a swelling of the parotid gland, simulating mumps.
Disorders of the circulatory system are fre quently associated. The blood tension is per sistently high, the walls of the blood-vessels become stiff, and heart and kidney changes grad ually develop. Then dropsy may supervene. It is not unlikely that the lithwmie state may hasten the development of aneurism or apo plexy: for the nutritional disorder with which an excess of uric acid is associated induces in time increased tension in the blood-vessels, hardening of the arteries, chronic kidney dis ease, and changes in the muscular tissue of the heart.
Among nervous manifestations headache is fre quent. Neuralgias, particularly sciatica, are not
uncommon. There may be hot or itching feet at night. This symptom is as old as Plutarch, who observed it and called it 'the lisping of the gout.' Cramps in the legs and hot and itching eyeballs may lie signs.
Chronic bronchitis is frequent in such eases, as are also certain affections of the eye, such as iritis, retinitis, and glaucoma.
The treatment is hygienic. dietetic, and medici nal. The lithemic should live temperately, ab stain from alcohol, and eat moderately. Ile should live in the open air, exercise vigorously, and keep regular hours. The skin should he kept active by cold baths with friction for the robust, and by warm evening baths for the debilitated. The dress should be warm, extremes of temperatures should lie avoided, and care should be taken rot to have the skin suddenly chilled. The appetite should be kept reasonable bounds, meals should he at .stated intervals. and food should be well chewed and eaten slowly. In the matter of food. quantity is a bleb)r of more importance than quality. Each individual case should re ceive separate Ninsilleration from the physician. Nowhere, perhaps, is it more necessary than in lithamia to consider the man as well as the ail ment, and very often more the man than the ail ment. This is especially so when we consider the possible sequel:' of this state. Among medicines, wine of colchicum, citrate of potash or of lithium. sodium sal icy late. iodide of potash, guaincum. quinine, piperazin, and the bitter tonics :ire em ployed. For external application. warm fomen tations, ichthyol, and steaming are appropriate.
Whenever the blood becomes increasingly alka line, sonic of the accumulated acid is washed out of the spleen and the joints, :lad, before it is elimi nated from the system, attacks the nerve-centres and the blood-vessels. The result is headache and depression of spirits. Acids relieve these lint cause further accumulation in the joints and spleen, with results. (See :ot•r 1111Eirm.vrism. ) Consult: I la l'rie .trid as a Paelor in 1hr l'ausation of Discasr (Phila delphia. 19011) ; 11 as(lr, Brain and Dir.i (London. OM)) : Brunton. Iiisorthrs of Assimila tion. el,. (London. 1!IO1 i.