CLASS IV. i. 2. 16. OF ASSOCIATION. 387 



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

 continued ufe of ftrong bitters, as of Portland's powder, or bark, 

 has been frequently injurious, as fpoken of in the Materia Med- 

 ica, Art. IV. 2. n. 



One of my acquaintance, who was much afflicted with the 

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

 not having refolution to perfift, returned to his former habits of 

 potation in lefs quantity ; and obferved that he was then for one 

 winter ftronger and freer from the gout than ufual. This how- 

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

 its ufual or increafed violence. This I think is a circumftance 

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

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

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

 greater irritability of the fyftem, acquired during the leflened 

 ufe of fermented liquor. 



For the fame reafon an ounce of fpirituous tincture of guaia*- 

 cum, or of bark, is faid to have for fome time prevented returns 

 of the gout *, which has afterwards, like all other great ftimult 

 when long continued, been fucceeded by greater debility, and 

 deftroyed the patient. This feems to have been exemplified in 

 the cafe of the ingenious Dr. Brown, fee Preface to his Ele- 

 menta Medicinse ; he found temporary relief from the ftimulus 

 of wine, regardlefs of its future effects. 



Laftly, as the gouty inflammation, like the rheumatic fwellings 

 of the wrifts and ankles, is not a primary difeafe ; and is like 

 them not liable to fuppurate ; there is reafon to believe that opi- 

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

 and with a profpect of advantage ; fince 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 fometimes be prevented. A perfon a few 

 days ago affured 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 dofe, if the 

 pain did not fubfide ; and that the fit foon ceafed. I fhould 

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

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

 publication. 



1 6. Rhcttmatifmus. Acute rheumatifm. There is reafon to 

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

 not a primary difeafe ; but that they are the confequence of a 

 tranflation of morbid action from one part of the fyftem to 

 another. This idea is countenanced by the frequent change of 

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

 tacking 



