Page:Of the Gout - Stukeley - 1734.djvu/86

Rh this formidable affliction: which must needs excite the highest degree of compassion from those who profess humanity. A savage soul would be touch'd at the sight of a wretch lying but one hour under a Spanish rack; yet this is nothing in comparison of a severe fitt of the gout.

How well has Dr. Harris defin'd this distemper? That 'tis an habitual disposition in nature to throw off offensive humor upon the joints. 'Tis properly the joint disease, arthritis, and 'tis nonsense to divide it into podagra, chiagra, mentagra, gonagra, talia and the like ridiculous names, as if it were not terrible enough, unless split into 100 terrors. 'Tis all one and the same humor and disease. Yet why should nature chuse to throw' it off upon the joints, but for sake of the oyl-glands? The disease is truly a habit, but a very unlucky one, before our remedy was discover'd; a miserable crisis which nature by constraint chufes. The gout is not only so far habitual, as at stated times of the year, once or twice to attack us, but will often make a supernumerary and irregular visit; a most incomplaisant officiousness! And then it will hold us as tediously and cruelly, as in its ordinary executions. 'Tis no security, that you have so lately undergone the question. And for this purpose it will lay hold on the most trifling