Page:Of the Gout - Stukeley - 1734.djvu/57

Rh is bite of a viper, by ruining and destroying the texture of the poyson. 'Tis to be observ'd that the little wooly cone or moxa which is to burn the part, must be set with great exactness upon the very point where the gouty drop lyes. For if you set it but an inch off that place, it produces no effect. This shows 'tis by the fire, which kills this poyson that the cure is perform'd, rather than by any quantity of humor deriv'd from the burning. And this shows too, that the humor how small soever in quantity, is a real poyson. The same thing we infer from the Indian practise of lighting the moxa with little aromatick flicks prepar'd for that purpose. These in burning, emit a very grateful smell, good against the poysonous damp and fume of the distemper, which the fire draws out of the wound; and which is very prejudicial to the patient and byestanders, as well as to the operator that performs the burning. The suddenness of the relief here proves the same thing, for tho' we are not able to stir our foot for several days without lifting; upon letting out that envenom'd steam by the moxa, we can walk instantaneously; and the cure of the gout by our oyls proclaims the same truth. These oyls introduc'd upon the poysonous gas in its recesses, effectually disarm and subdue its viru-