Page:Of the Gout - Stukeley - 1734.djvu/22

Rh warm and volatile like our oyls. Galen in his book De tuenda sanitate particularly recommends the use of them to students. And the Greeks in their athletic games practis'd oyling very much, which shews that they actually do penetrate to the joints; Thus the West-indians who will run 30 or 40 miles a day, anoint themselves all over at night with bears grease. It is recorded in the memoirs of the society, that oyl of cinamon has been apply'd in the gout, with good. And they that sell oyl of mustard-seed in town, affirm the like of it. Both which preparations seem,to participate of the nature of our oyls. But by frequent use of milk internally and oyling externally, we may promise our selves, as it seems to me, great success in the gout: and nearly accomplish the regimen of Romulus Pollio, Augustus's host, who being ask'd by the emperor, how he had maintain'd for so great an age his health and vigor, being above a 100 years old: he answer'd, intus mulso, foris oleo. Plin. XXII. 24. From whence we may well conjecture that old and tartarous and french wines are prejudicial in our distemper.

We may reasonably think, that 'tis not in the power of oyls and milk to overcome a high degree of the gout, where persons will not confine themselves to a very