a. and sb. Med. Also 7–8 lython-, 8–9 -thriptic. [ad. F. lithontriptique or mod.L. lithontripticus (in the 17th c. etymologically corrected to -thrypticus), repr. the Gr. phrase (φάρμακα τῶν ἐν νεφροῖς) λίθων θρυπτικά ‘(drugs) comminutive of stones (in the kidneys)’ (Galen), where λίθων is genitive pl. of λίθος stone and θρυπτικός (neut. pl. -κά) an adj. f. θρύπ-τειν to crush small, comminute. The inaccurate spelling -tripticus gave rise to the notion that the word was derived from Gr. τρῑβ-ειν to rub, wear down, and the Physical Dict. 1657 gives a mod.L. lithontribon sb., which seems to be meant for a Gr. combination, as if λίθον τρῖβον ‘that which rubs down stone.’ (Cf. the med.L. litontripon, litotripon sb., in glosses.) Some recent writers have substituted the more analogically formed LITHOTRIPTIC.]
A. adj. Having the property of breaking up stone in the bladder.
α. 1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., II. v. 83. The Lithontripticke powder of Nicolaus.
1661. Lovell, Hist. Anim. & Min., 89. Euonimus mixes lithontriptick herbs with the bloud thereof to wast the stone.
1742. J. Parsons (title), Description of the urinary bladder … with animadversions on lithontriptic medicines.
1830. Lindley, Nat. Syst. Bot., 50. The old idea of their [viz. saxifrages] being lithontriptic appears to have been derived from their name rather than their virtues.
1883. T. Holmes & Hulke, Syst. Surg. (ed. 3), III. Index 924. Lithontriptic treatment of calculus.
β. 1850. Ogilvie, Lithonthriptic [adj. and sb.].
B. sb. A lithontriptic medicine.
α. 1694. Westmacott, Script. Herb., 30. Conserve of Hips … is said by Authors to be a Lithontriptick.
1774. T. Percival, Ess. (1776), III. 138. Lime water has been long and justly celebrated as a lithontriptic.
1845–55. Garrod, Mat. Med. (ed. 6), 114. Magnesia is at times employed as a lithontriptic.
1876. Gross, Dis. Bladder, 217. Lithontriptics, or solvents and disintegrators of stone.
β. 1683. Phil. Trans., XIV. 533. Some medicines, though they are not Lythonthripticks yet may be good nephriticks. Ibid. (1693), XVII. 766. ’Tis esteem’d as a great Traumatick and Lithonthriptick.
1727–41. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Stone, A liquor that will dissolve or break the concrete stone … which is called a lithonthriptic.
