Class IV. i. 2. 15. OF ASSOCIATION. 381 



then totally abftained from all fermented liquors, not even tail- 

 ing fmall-beer, or a drop of any kind of wine ; but ate plenti- 

 fully of flefh-meat, and all kinds of vegetables, and fruit, ufing 

 for his drink at meals chiefly water alone, or lemonade, or cream 

 water ; with tea and coffee between them as ufual. 



By this abflinence from fermented liquors he kept quite free 

 from the gout for fifteen or fixteen years ; and then began to ' 

 take fmall-beer mixed with water occafionally, or wine and 

 water, or perry and water, or cyder and water ; by which in- 

 dulgence after a few months he had again a paroxyfm of gout, 

 which continued about three days in the ball of his toe *, which 

 occasioned him to return to his habit of drinking water, and he 

 has now for above twenty years kept in perpetual health, ex- 

 cept accidental colds from the changes of the feafons. Before 

 he abftained from fermented or fpirituous liquors, he was fre- 

 quently fubjecl to the piles, and to the gravel, neither of which 

 he has fmce experienced. 



In the following cafe the gout was eftablifhed by longer habit 

 and greater violence, and therefore required more cautious treat- 

 ment. The Rev. R. W. was feized with the gout about the age 

 of thirty-two, which increafed fo rapidly that at the age of for- 

 ty-one he was confined to his room feven months in that year ; 

 he had fome degree of iameneis during the intervals, with 

 chalky fwellings of his heels and elbows. As the difeafe had 

 continued fo long and fo violently, and the powers of his digef- 

 tion were fomewhat weakened, he was advifed not entirely to 

 leave off all fermented liquors ; and as fmall-beer is of fuch va- 

 rious ftrength, he was advifed to drink exactly two wine-glafles, 

 about four ounces, of wine mixed with three or four times its 

 quantity of water, with or without lemon and fugar, for his dai- 

 ly potation at dinner, and no other fermented liquor of any 

 kind -, and was advifed to eat flefh-meat with any kind of boil- 

 ed vegetables, and fruit, with or without fpice. He has now 

 fcrupuioufly continued this regimen for above five years, and 

 has had an annual moderate gouty paroxyfm of a few weeks, 

 inftead of the confinement of fo many months, with great health 

 and good fpirits during the intervals. 



The following is a more particular account of the hiflory of 

 this cafe ; being part of a letter which Mr. Wilmot wrote on 

 that fubjecl at my entreaty. 



" I entered into the army with an excellent constitution at 

 the age of fifteen. The corps I ferved in was diitinguifhed by 

 its regularity, that is, the regular allowance of the mefs was on- 

 ly one pint of wine per man each day ; unlefs we had company 

 to dine with us ; then, as was the general cuftom of the time, 



the 



