On the Cure of the Gout. 115 



I see any phenomenon in a Ht of the gout, but what may 

 be accounted for bv this hypothesis. It will be easy to see 

 that for the present I deny the existence of gouty matter j 

 nor do I consider the earthy concretions formed in the 

 joints after repeated severe attacks to be a proof of this, 

 since the same phienomenon maybe produced from the 

 blood out of the body by a simiilar process. It is remark- 

 able that, though much has been written on this subject,' 

 so little has 'been attempted, either to prevent the gene- 

 rating this disease, or mitigating the violence of its parox- 

 ysms. The reason of this I take to have been a supposi- 

 tion that there was something deleterious in the obstructed 

 m'atter, and that it was unsafe either "to prevent the fit, or 

 tamper with the parts afle.ctcd : of this prejudice t have had 

 my share until within these three years. There is a preva- 

 lent opinion I knov/, with those unacquainted v/ith the laws 

 of the circulation of the blood, that there are applications, 

 very improperly called repellents, which may drive back 

 the gouty matter ; but I tell my gouty readers, there is no 

 operation can take place in the animal system in this sense: 

 in fine, there can be no repellents nor discutients where 

 there are no absorbents ; but my readers must be cautious 

 how they counteract the intentions of nature, or, if they 

 must use the word, they must beware that by improper 

 applications they do not repel the disposition of the system 

 to produce a paroxysm, and thereby send it to some more 

 vital part; which happened to myself, the first symptom I 

 had of this disease. 



I come now to describe my practice upon myself; I 

 have already said I took the hint from the air-pump vapour- 

 bath eight or nine months ago. The end of September last 

 I was attacked in my right hand, but being in the country 

 I could not put my intentions in practice until I came 

 liome; by this time the fit had acquired its last stage both 

 in pain and swelling. I then got a common tureen half 

 full of boiling water ; I laid my hand across, and covered 

 all over u ith some folds of flannel ; but presently the steam 

 V.-4S so hot, that I was obliged to reduce the heat of the 

 water so as to be able to bear the steam. In a few minutes 

 the pain abated, and in about 25 minutes I was perfectly 

 i'rce from pain ; and as the steam became so cold as to be 

 no longer useful, I dried my hand and wrapped it up in 

 llaiuiel ; and, had it not been for the swelling, I could liavir 

 used it as well as if nothing had happened. About this time 

 mv right foot began to give me some symptoms of an at- 

 tJ' k ; 1 allowed it to proceed for about 24 hours, or until 

 H '2 I was 



