Dolæus upon the cure of the gout by milk-diet

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Dolæus Johannes. Dolæus upon the cure of the gout by milk-diet

AN. ESSAY. UPON. DIET, Applied chiefly to the. GOUT

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It is very well known in the History of Physick, that very great Changes have been brought about in the human Body by the Force of Diet, especially in chronical Cases, where the Application of Medicines hath proved ineffectual. Chronical Distempers, as they are longer in coming to their Period, so they occasion a more universal bad Habit of Body; and where there is a pretty universal Depravation either of the Solids or Fluids of a human Body, or of both, it is not to be expected that sudden Changes can happen to Advantage: As the Progress is slow, and the Changes from a good to a bad State imperceptible, and by Degrees, the Changes to a good State must be so too. In acute Diseases indeed Medicines are more immediately necessary, because the Changes being quick and violent, immediate and sometimes violent Remedies become necessary; there being no Time to wait the slow and ordinary, tho’ more certain, Methods of Change by the Alimentary Powers.

The Gout, of all chronical Distempers, requires least the Application of violent or uncertain Remedies: Tho’ its pain be very intense, it comes very slow to its Period: Generally it is many Years, or the imprudent Application of Medicines, that brings it into the noble Parts, so as to endanger Life; purging by the Bowels hath frequently brought it into the Stomach; external Applications of repellent Plaisters have drove it into the Head; Applications of Mercurial Plaisters have brought on Paralytick Disorders: As we are not certainly acquainted with the particular Nature of the Gouty Matter, it is uncertain how to apply. That there is somewhat in the Part, not natural to the Body, which occasions the Pain, we know; what it is particularly we know not; the common Method of Nature is to evacuate it by the Pores of the Skin at certain Seasons, which requires the Part to be kept warm, and to attend upon the Operations of Nature for Relief; this, and the Uncertainty of Medicinal Applications, have brought Patience and Flannel to be Proverbial to the Gout.

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Fermentation is a Change in Vegetables by Means of some intestine Motion, the Effect whereof is, that in Distillation there arises a volatile inflammable Liquor, capable of mixing with Water, commonly called Spirits; or if the Fermentation be so managed as to produce Vinegar, thence arises in Distillation a watry, thin, acid Liquor, capable of extinguishing Fire. I have here only mentioned the Effects of Fermentation; what this intestine Motion is, or its Cause, I do not pretend to describe, because I do not know it: Its Effects are very well known to be either a vinous or an acetous Liquor, and they are producible from all Vegetables, and from Vegetables only; for all the Art yet known will never gain such Spirits either from Fossils or Animals: Putrefaction, Digestion, and Effervescence are all done by intestine Motions, but will neither produce Wine nor Vinegar; so that in this Light Fermentation is confined to Vegetables.

It needs no very deep Enquiry into the History of Fermentation, to know, that in Wine (by which Name I understand all fermented Vegetable Liquor, Ale, Beer, Mead, and all artificial Wines, as well as that made from the Grape) the Spirituous Parts of the Vegetable are so volatilized and loosened, that very small Heat raises them from the other Parts of the Liquor, even many fly off upon being exposed to the Air: The viscid, oily, and glutinous Parts of Vegetables are so broke and separated, and the Spheres of their mutual Attractions so diversified, that they are no longer retained. Before Fermentation, the longer you boil the Decoction of any Vegetable, its oily and spirituous Parts are more concentrated, and little besides Water, and some essential Oyl goes away; after Fermentation the Spirit goes away, and the Water remains: This is commonly known to Brewers and Distillers.

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