INFLAMMATIONS. 133 



every one of them, before a year had passed, after finishing the 

 course of the powders, some hydropic symptoms appeared, 

 which gradually increasing in the form of hydrothorax or as- 

 cites, especially the latter joined with anasarca, in less than 

 two, or at most three years, proved fatal. These accidents hsfp- 

 pening to persons of some rank, became very generally known 

 in this country, and have prevented all such experiments since. 



" The Aristolochia, which has been long commended as a 

 cure of gout, makes a considerable part of the Portland pow- 

 der, and has been often employed by itself in the same manner 

 as that powder, to be taken every day for a length of time. It 

 has the same power of preventing fits of the gout, and com- 

 monly with the same consequences, of which many instances 

 are recorded by the physicians of Germany. (See Werlhoff 

 Cautiones Medicos.) M. M. 



DLVIII. Another remedy which has had the appearance of 

 preventing the gout, is an alkali in various forms, such as the 

 fixed alkali, both mild and caustic, lime-water, soap, and ab- 

 sorbent earths. Since it became common to exhibit these me- 

 dicines in nephritic and calculous cases, it has often happened 

 that they were^given to those who were at the same time subject 

 to the gout ; and it has been observed, that under the use of 

 these medicines, gouty persons have been longer free from the 

 fits of their disease. That, however, the use of these medi- 

 cines has entirely prevented the returns of gout, I do not know; 

 because I never pushed the use of those medicines for a long 

 time, being apprehensive that the long-continued use of them 

 might produce a hurtful change in the state of the fluids. 



DLIX. With respect to preventing the gout, I have only 

 one other remark to offer. As the preventing the gout depends 

 very much on supporting the tone of the stomach, and avoid- 

 ing indigestion ; so costiveness, by occasioning this, is very 

 hurtful to gouty persons. It is therefore necessary for such 

 persons to prevent or remove costiveness, and by a laxative 

 medicine, when needful ; but it is at the same time proper, that 

 the medicine employed should be such as may keep the belly 

 regular, without much purging. Aloetics, rhubarb, magnesia 

 alba, or flowers of sulphur, may be employed, as the one or the 

 other may happen to be best suited to particular persons. 



