CHAP. I.

Previous

Before I explain this Method of Cure, I would have my Reader take Notice, that he is not to expect any thing perfectly new: I only propose to confirm, by fresh Experience, what hath been long enough known. The Method of Cure here advanced consists in the proper Use of Milk for a Year and upwards. Many will perhaps wonder at my Endeavours to revive a Method so long known and exploded by Physicians, as hurtful to gouty Constitutions, and shortening the Period of Life itself: But being fully satisfied from Reason, and certain Experience, that this most excellent Remedy is the Gift of Providence, for the Relief of Persons afflicted with this cruel Distemper, I could not help drawing up and communicating my Experience and Observations for the Relief of others.

Cornelius Celsus, the celebrated Roman Physician, speaking of the Pains and Evil that gouty People suffer, tells us of some Persons who entirely avoided this Distemper by a strict Adherence to the Use of Asses Milk, and of others that by abstaining a whole Year from the Use of Wine and Women, were never afterwards troubled with it.

Among the Moderns, John George Grezzell hath wrote a very learned Treatise upon the Cure of the Gout by Milk, wherein many curious and useful Observations are delivered; that excellent Physician Dr. James Sacks hath inserted, in the German Ephemeris, a Method for the Use of Milk, communicated to him by a noble Baron, wherein many useful and elegant Observations, founded upon Experiment, are contained. The late learned Waldsmid hath published a learned Dissertation upon the Relief of gouty Persons by Milk, wherein he agrees with the Authors now mentioned as to the Cure. I have lately received a Letter from a French Gentleman my Friend, who having been for many Years afflicted in a most terrible Manner with the Gout, hath been now by the Use of Milk, free for some Years. From these Examples I had Occasion to admire the wonderful Effects of this Diet, and therefore advised it to many gouty Persons here at Cassell, who have all recovered a perfect State of Health, by a strict Adherence to the Regimen Necessary in the Use of this Remedy: Even some whose Limbs were before perfectly crippled, are now able to walk and exercise. Colonel Nicholas Dumont hath experienced the Efficacy of this Method here at Cassell, for his Limbs were so entirely contracted that he was forced to use Crutches, but having confined himself strictly to the Use of this Diet for an Year and an half, he walks very well without a Cane, and hath performed several Journies. I have been free from the Gout my self upwards of an Year, notwithstanding I had three or four Fits every Year for Sixteen foregoing. Colonel Haste hath been restored by the same Means, though he hath had some mild Returns at several Times.

I shall in the first Place communicate the Letter I just now mentioned; next I shall lay down the Rules Necessary to be observed in the Use of this Milk-Diet; I shall then demonstrate from undeniable Principles, that this Method is the most convenient to asswage and cure the Gout, and that no bad Consequences can attend the Constitution, if it be taken with the proper Regulations. The Letter is as Follows.

To Monsieur de Collet.

SIR,

Nothing can be more agreeable to me, than to satisfy the Desire of my Friends afflicted with the Gout, in communicating the Method of Diet, by which the Marquis de Bongi, Mons. Chamar, and my self were relieved from the Gout; you will please to take Notice, that the Milk we used was fresh drawn from the Cow, Morning and Evening, without other Art than that we both eat and supped it, as warm as we could well bear it; my Reason for mentioning eating and supping the Milk, is, because as soon as we arose in the Morning we supped a large Bowl of warm Milk; but the Milk which was brought us at Dinner and Supper, we eat with fine light Bread, cut thin and put therein; this is all our Secret in this Matter. Persons afflicted with the Gout may promise themselves Relief, provided that once a Month, during the Course of this Diet, or at least once in two Months, they take a gentle Purge, which we made Use of, and were so strict in our Regimen, that we neither drank Wine nor, eat other Food, than Biscuits made of very fine Flower, Eggs, and Sugar, and some sweet Fruits, as Strawberries in Summer, but we chiefly avoided Raspberries. For my own Part, I never sweetned my Milk with Sugar, though some Friends who were in the same Course did, yet without any bad Effect. The Marquis de Bongi used to mix Crabs Eyes with his Milk before Dinner, upon a Presumption, that it would prevent any Sourness in his Stomach, but neither Monsieur Chamar or I ever used that Remedy. When we had strictly adhered to this Diet for a Year, we began to hope we might eat Fish, or indulge our Appetites in some varieties of Food, which one or other of us did, more or less, occasionally, and without any bad Effects. At the End of Nine Months I apprehended my Stomach to be somewhat weakened, which made me resolve to use a Glass of Wine after my Milk, and accordingly after Dinner and Supper every Day, I drank one Glass of Wine, in which I sopped a bit of Bread; this was very delicious to me while I used it. At length as we found the State of our Healths to mend, we began to eat and drink with our Friends. This Method hath succeeded so well, that we live hitherto in our common Way upon Milk, yet not so strictly, but that we dine or sup, once, twice or thrice a Week with our Friends in their Manner, and return afterwards to our Milk without Ceremony; and by the Blessing of God we are wonderfully well. We dont here pretend to say, that none of us have been since afflicted with the Gout, for the Marquiss de Bongi hath had two or three pretty sharp Fits; but both he and I know the Difference between having two or three Fits in nine or ten Years, and of being perpetually oppressed, and confined to Bed with this cruel Distemper, which was our Case before; especially the Marquiss de Bongi, who at Six and Thirty was almost continually confined to his Bed, deprived of the Use of his Limbs, and the Joints of his Hands and Feet knotted and chalky; instead of which, he now uses his Limbs without any Marks of Infirmity, insomuch that any one who had seen him in his former bad State, and compares it with his present, would look on him as one raised from Death to Life. As for Monsieur Chamar, and my self, who are more advanced in Years, considering our Age, we are mighty well; ’tis true indeed that sometimes, as upon Changes of Weather, or of the Moon, we find (or at least we fancy so) that we have some Threatnings of Pain, especially about those Joints where the Gout used to ravage, but a little Exercise soon dissipates those Apprehensions.

It is now Seven Years, that Monsieur Chamar and I have adhered to this Diet, in all which Time we have neither of us been so far oppressed by the Gout, as to be confined to our Beds, or even to our Chambers, so much as one whole Day; notwithstanding before we fell into this Method (though we were not perpetually under actual Fits of the Gout) we had a continued Weakness in our Limbs, we walked very infirmly and with difficulty, and if we chanced to make a wrong Step, or to slip in walking, we suffered Extremity of Pain; our Case is now so far altered, that we walk as firm, as if we had never had the Gout. I must confess indeed that both the Marquiss and I used the Diet for a good while, before we perceived any manifest Change, but afterwards our Pain diminished by Degrees, and the Strength of our Limbs returned. The Milk must be used a good while, that the natural Temper and Vigour of the Constitution may have Time and Leisure to come to itself; for though this Diet may be often used Six Months or even Twelve before the Patient can use his Limbs free from Pain, yet let him not despair, for if once he begins to gather Strength, it will daily increase. As to Purging, and Evacuation of the Humours, if possible it should be done once a Month, in the Decrease of the Moon: I hold purging extremely Necessary; for my own Part, it was what I did for the first Seven or Eight Months of this Diet constantly, till I grew tired of it. This is truly the Method I used, and though I afterwards remitted, I found no bad Consequence. The Marquiss and I, at present, take a Bowl of Warm Milk every Morning, but for the Rest of the Day drink and eat as usual. The Marquiss indeed, for the Space of Eight Years, hath had at Times several small Fits of the Gout, but for my self I have hardly had any, except sometimes upon Changes of the Weather, or of the Moon, I have perceived a Numbness and Weakness in my Knees and Joints, like Threatenings of the Gout; but I thank God, it never confined me, and as it came on easily, it as easily went off. The following is the Method of purging: Take of Scammony, white Turbith, Hermodactyls, Leaves of Sena, Sarsaparilla, Cinamon, and Sugar, of each one Drachm, powder them very fine, and divide the whole into Seven equal Parts, one of which is a Dose, and may be taken in white wine or a little Broth. It is necessary to purge once a Month, especially in the Decline of the Moon. If it be thought necessary to purge twice in the Month, let the first Dose be taken in the last Quarter, the second the last Day of the Quarter. The Day I took Physick, I used Milk after it as usual. When I had pursued this Course about Seven or Eight Months, I found my Stomach so much weakened from the Milk, that I was forced to take a Glass of Red Wine every Day after Dinner, which agreed mighty well with me, and I have continued it ever since; so that I am often impatient to finish my Milk, that I may have the Pleasure of regaling my self with a Glass of Wine, and a bit of Bread.


decorative header
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Clyx.com


Top of Page
Top of Page