Page:Of the Gout - Stukeley - 1734.djvu/7

 22 Jan. 1732-3.




 * SIR,

IPPOCRATES says well, that the humane body is pervium & perspirabile quid. We in this moist, northern island find it so, to our prejudice, too often; when raw vapors are imbib'd thro' the pores, and assimilating some humor to themselves, cause colds and catarrhs so frequent with us. Perhaps the rheumatism and gout among many other distempers, partly owe their origin to this spring; perspiration being thereby slacken'd and disproportionate to our plentiful way of living. These are diseases so obstinate, and have so long baffled the medicinal art, especially the gout, that we now seem