Page:Of the Gout - Stukeley - 1734.djvu/12

Rh into the extreme parts, and out of the bounds of the circulation. And this relieves her by a fitt of the gout,

It is contriv'd by our most wise author, that round about the the of all our joints, ad upon the insertions of the tendons of the muscles, there should be plac'd many glands, to separate an oyly matter, wherewith to lubricate the joints and tendons in action; as we grease coach-wheels, and for the very same purpose. The great joint or ball of the great toe must have larger glands of this kind than any other toe, as 'tis the principal opponent if that great joint the ancle, in walking. The of the great toe is the most distant large joint in the body, from the center of circulation, the heart. Witch good reason then, does the gout there begin its first attack. The mode of a fitt if the gout, I apprehend to be this. The matter of it is a certain fiery drop, like liquid phosphorus, a caustic animal salt dissolv'd in a rectify'd spirit of animal juices, which being disagreeable to the animal œconomy, is thrust out by nature, into the glands that separate the oyl abovesaid, in order to extinguish it there; like putting a piece of hot iron or live charcoal into a vessel of oyl. It extinguishes the iron or coal, but sets the oyl on fire, which causes all the symptoms of the gout. The