d we might venture to promise them, if they
did, that they would have no return of the complaint. But the
misfortune is, they think the gout has restored their constitution,
and that therefore they may return to their old mode of living with
impunity; in consequence of which, after a few months more, the
excitability is again exhausted; symptoms of indigestion come on, and
the stimulant mode of living is increased, with a view to bring on
the disease, which is to cure these symptoms. In this way, each time,
a greater and greater degree of indirect debility is induced, and at
last the system becomes so enfeebled, that the asthenic inflammation
is not confined to the extremities, but attacks the head, the
stomach, the lungs, and often puts a period to the existence of the
patient, which has for some time been miserable.

Besides, the idea, that the gout is incurable, is a false, and a very
dangerous doctrine; this is very far from being the case, and I am
firmly persuaded, not only from the nature of the disease, but from
experience, that it may always be cured, if taken in time, and proper
directions be followed. If, by the cure of gout be meant the
administration of some pill, some powder, or some potion, which shall
drive away the complaint, I firmly believe, that it never was, nor
ever will be cured. Indeed, it is astonishing that such an idea
should have ever entered the mind of any person, who has any
knowledge of nature, or particularly of the human frame; for, if the
gout is a disease of indirect debility, and the effect of
intemperance, as will be shown by and by, then a medicine to cure it
must be something to enable a man to bear the daily effects of
intemperance, during his future life, unhurt by the gout, or any
other disease; that is, it must be something given now, that will
take away the effects of a future cause; as well might a medicine be
given to prevent a man breaking his leg, or his arm, seven years
hence.

But no rational physician, or surgeon, would give a medicine with
this view, in such a case as I have supposed; on the contrary, he
would caution his patient against mounting precipices, scaling walls,
or bringing himself again into a situation, such as produced the
accident; and if he took his advice, he would, in all probability,
escape a broken limb in future.

In the same way a rational physician would advise a person recovering
from gout, to abstain totally and entirely from the course of