4^0 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



Now, with regard to the lime-water, 

 if one were to judge a priori, it ought to 

 be, in (ome refpecfls, a good remedy a- 

 gaintl the gout. For I think there is 

 reafon, with iome phyficians, to imagine, 

 that there is a great analogy between 

 the gravel and the gout ; and, as lime- 

 water is known to be an excellent medi- 

 cine in the gravel, it may be luppofed, 

 that it will likewiie prove a aiffolvent of 

 gouty humours, and prevent their breed- 

 ing in the human body. However, as in 

 luoft people it is very apt to bind 'he bel- 

 ly, when takf=n after the ordinary me- 

 thod, it CTinnoc be fuppoled that it will 

 agree with gouty people, unleis it is 

 drunk in the way that the above patient 

 "ufed it, in order to make it prove laxa- 

 tive, or^at lealljUnlefs rhey take fome pro- 

 per laxative along with it. Inch as foap, 

 or the elixir f.icnim. For T imagine, that 

 its being a laxative with that patient, 

 can be owing to nothing but his pour- 

 ing in fo great a quantity of it at once, 

 and which very few flomachs would be 

 able to bear. 



But, 



