CiAssIV. 1.2. 16. OF ASSOCIATION, 387 



liquors, with the cautions directed in Sect. XII. 7. 8. The 

 continued use of strong bitters, as of Portland's power, or bark, 

 h'as been frequently injurious, as spoken of in the Materia Me- 

 dica, Art. IV. 2. 11. 



One of my acquaintance, who was much afflicted with the 

 gout, abstained for about half a year from beer and wine; and 

 not having resolution to persist, returned to his former habits of 

 potation in less quantity; and observed that he was then for one 

 winter stronger and freer from the gout than usual. This how- 

 ever did not long continue, as the disease afterwards returned with 

 its usual or increased violence. This I think is a circumstance 

 not unlikely to occur, as opium has a greater effect after its use 

 has been a while intermitted; and the debility or torpor, which 

 is the cause of gout, is thus for a few months prevented by the 

 greater irritability of the system, acquired during the lessened 

 use of fermented liquor. 



For the same reason an ounce of spirituous tincture of guaia- 

 cum, or of bark, is said to have for some time prevented returns 

 of the gout; which has afterwards, like all other great stimuli 

 when long continued, been succeeded by greater debility, and 

 destroyed the patient. This seems to have been exemplified in 

 the case of the ingenious Dr. Brown, see Preface to his Ele- 

 menta Medicinae; he found temporary relief from the stimulus 

 of wine, regardless of its future effects. 



Lastly, as the gouty inflammation, like the rheumatic swellings 

 of the wrists and ankles, is not a primary disease; aad is like 

 them not liable to suppurate; there is reason to believe that opi- 

 ates may be given with less danger than in other inflammations, 

 and with a prospect of advantage; since by preventing the pe- 

 riods of torpor of the liver, or other part primarily affected, the 

 diurnal additional attack, or its producing inflammation of 

 another limb, may sometimes be prevented. A person a few 

 days ago assured me, that when the gout came into his foot, his 

 practice was to take thirty drops of tincture of opium; and in 

 half an hour thirty drops more; and even a third dose if the 

 pain did not subside; and that the fit soon ceased. I should 

 think this a dangerous experiment. A Mr. Warner wrote a 

 book recommending opium in the gout, but died soon after its 

 publication. 



16. Rheumatismus. Acutt rheumatism. There is reason to 

 suspect, that rheumatic inflammations, like the gouty ones, are 

 not a primary disease; but that they are the consequence oi a 

 translation of morbid action from one part of the system to 

 another. This idea is countenanced by the frequent chaagd of 

 place of rheumatic -like gouty inflammations, and from their at- 



