Part 4

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.

CHAP. II.

In the foregoing Letter are contained many useful Observations about the Use of Milk, and its wonderful Efficacy in the Cure of the Gout, from uncontestable Facts, in the Account of the Persons there named. I shall next lay down the Method of this Diet, by which many Persons here at _Cassell_ were relieved. Whoever expects Benefit by this Method, must observe the following Rules. No one ought to go into this Diet without having his Body duly prepared; he must take Care by Degrees to change his Habit, and for the first Month to regulate his Diet, by strictly avoiding all Salt or smoaked Meats; Legumes, and stale, acid or feculent Liquors, and to eat white Meats sparingly, with clear small Drink, as small Beer or Barley Water, or Decoctions of the Woods: A Glass of _Moselle_ or _French_ Wine free from Acidity, may be allowed at Dinner, and Gruels and Broths made of white Meats. There is a necessary Caution to be used, that both in Meat and Drink, the Quantity taken be rather within the Appetite than beyond it; for from overloading the digestive Powers, arise Crudities, Flatulencies, and acid Humours, which are the Origine of many Disorders. Upon this Account it is necessary to purge the Bowels, two or three Times a Month, with Tincture of Jalap, Elixir _Proprietatis_, Rhubarb, some of the purging Pills, as the Arthritick or Mastich Pills; that the Viscidity arising from indigestions may be carried forth of the Bowels, and the Stomach be better disposed to receive and digest the Milk. I am of Opinion, the first Dose should be taken the first Day of the Month, preparatory to this Diet, the second after some few Weeks of this first Regimen, and the third the last Day of the Month; after this I advice the taking an Ounce of Crabs-Eyes, or prepared calcined Hartshorn, especially if there yet remains any Marks of Acidity in the first Passages. This further Caution is very absolutely Necessary, that not only in the first Month, but in all subsequent, all Passion, chiefly Anger and Grief be avoided, because of their pernicious Consequences; more especially the Use of Women during the whole Year.

SECT. 2.

All those who have other Distempers complicated with the Gout, as the Scurvy, Leprosy, bad Habit of Body, Stone or Gravel, Hystericks, the Pox, or other Distemper arising from the Impurity of the Blood, too great a viscidity or acrimony of the Juices, or a known or latent Acid in the Blood, are first to use Absorbent, Diuretick, Sweetening or other Medicines, proper to their particular Distempers, till the Acrimony or Tenacity of the Blood and Humours be corrected, the Acid expelled, and such complicated Disorders overcome, and then apply this noble Remedy of a Milk-Diet to the Cure of the Gout alone, from which they may certainly promise themselves Success: But if while the Body is ill prepared, or full of vitiated Juices, the Milk-Diet should be preposterously brought into Use, they will not only be disappointed in their hopes of Relief, but bring certain Destruction, and Increase of their Disorders; as actually happened to the Count _de Perlebourgh_, and _a Lubech_ Consul in this Neighbourhood, who having a Complication of Distempers, made an improper Trial of a Milk-Diet.

SECT. 3.

The Milk in which the Cure of the Gout consists, ought to be excellent in its Kind; the Animal from whence it is taken, as described by _Waldsmid_, should be an Heifer, or Cow of a middle Age, of a good Habit, either of Red or a Black Colour, (though this need not so strictly be minded) neither fat nor lean, nor pregnant, and kept separate from the Bull: In Winter fed upon good Hay, Barley, Bran or Straw; in Summer at good Grass, and led in a Collar like an Horse. If any one can keep a Cow for their own Use, it is best, and they may more safely rely upon help from it; but if not, the Milk as the Milkmen sell it will do; taking Care however that the Cow be of a good Habit, well fed, and not too old.

SECT. 4.

As to the Quality and Quantity of the Milk, it is to be observed, that as soon as it is milked it should be warmed, but not so as to boil it. Let the Vessel full of Milk be put into boiling Water, and when it is so hot as to be conveniently supped, or at least so warm as when it came from the Cow, let it be taken after the Manner of Tea or Coffee. The Times of taking ought to be, two Pints in the Morning, some four or Five Hours before Dinner, as much about Noon, and as much about Seven in the Evening; but the Quantity cannot be exactly determined, because the Weakness or Strength of the Stomach must give a Rule in this Case; or let so much be taken as the Stomach can bear without Inconvenience, and the Patient may increase the Quantity daily till he comes to about forty Ounces. If the Stomach be weak, he may take it in a smaller Quantity, four or five Times a Day; if four Times, let two of them serve for Dinner and Supper, with some of the finest wheaten Bread; and a Draught of Milk may be repeated every four Hours; if the Milk be taken at five Times, it may be so ordered as to let three Hours intervene; those who are of more robust Constitutions, may be content with three Meals of Milk a Day; and it will not be amiss to take every Morning a Dose of Crabs-Eyes, or some other absorbent Powder: I usually take about twelve or fourteen Ounces of Milk in the Morning, Twenty four Ounces with Wheat Bread at Noon, and about Twenty Ounces at Night, half with Bread, and the other half drank as common Drink. Some allow the Use of white Meats at Dinner, lessening the Quantities by Degrees, and making up the Deficiencies by Food of Milk and Eggs, so that by Degrees the Milk and Eggs are entirely substituted in the Place of the Flesh Meat, and then by diminishing the Eggs daily, Milk becomes entirely substituted for other Food: This Method seems to me, entirely agreeable to tender Constitutions, and such as dont well bear sudden Changes. Some who have strictly adhered to Milk for fourteen Weeks, have indulged in the Use of poached Eggs without Salt, Barley boiled in Milk, fresh Butter without Salt, Custard and other Milk Foods; and in Summer, some Kinds of Fruits, as Strawberries, Peaches, _&c._ tho’ in my Judgment improperly, especially such Fruits as are cold, or seem to have a latent Acid, or such as weaken the Bowels. On this Head it may be observed in general, that the less whatever be used for Food differs in its Nature from Milk, it may be more freely ventured upon in the Milk-Diet; but the Prudence and Care of the Physician is to be relied on, according to the Diversity of Circumstances that may happen in different Constitutions.

SECT. 5.

This Diet ought to be so long continued, until the whole gouty Matter be discharged forth of the Body, which is to be computed by the Degree and Length of the Distemper, and Observations upon the Cure in others. The longer it is continued, the more perfect Cure is to be expected; those that are over-run with the Distemper, are always to use it, others for an Year, and others for an Year and an half; some Persons who have, upon continuing it only for half an Year, thought themselves perfectly cured, and have returned too soon to their former Method of living, have so far exceeded, as to be seized again with the Gout, but returning to the Diet, have been cured; some more prudent, have continued the Diet for an Year, and then returned to their ordinary Manner of living by Degrees, always taking about sixteen Ounces or a Pint of Milk every Morning, and have thus for many Years been free. The best Time of Beginning the Diet is in the Spring, and that from the Beginning of _May_, to the End of _April_ in the succeeding Year.

SECT. 6.

Some have in the Continuance of this Diet been seized with Oppressions and Difficulty of Breathing, Weakness in their Limbs, Coughs and Phlegm; but these Symptoms either vanish of themselves, or quickly give way to Elixir _Proprietatis_ without an Acid, Spirit of Hartshorn succinated, _Sal volatile oleosum_, or any of the more fixed absorbent alkaline Medicines.

SECT. 7.

For those who are oppressed with an abundance of Humours, whose Bowels are full of Flatulencies, or are constipated, let them once in every Month or Six Weeks take a gentle Purge of Rhubarb, or of the Arthritick Pills, or half a Scruple of _Pill Ruffi_, or of _Sylvius_ his Gum Pills: But if the Body be open, and the Milk passes too quickly through, it may suffice to take twenty Grains of Rhubarb; or if the Body be bound, take twenty Grains of Rhubarb in the first Draught of Milk, drinking the rest of the Quantity after it, or else in the Evening take twenty Drops of the Essence of Rhubarb with the Milk, and repeat it as often as there may be Occasion; but for the general, if it can be conveniently done, the purging Medicines should be used in the Decrease of the Moon.

SECT. 8.

If the Milk should occasion a Looseness, let it boil before it is used, adding a Grain of Salt and so supping it hot; if it do not succeed the first Time, try it a second Time, and a third; but if it doth not do then, take a Dose of Crabs-Eyes, _Unicornu fossile_, or _Terra sigillata_.

SECT. 9.

If the Milk should heat the Body, let a third Part of Barley Water, made with Raisins, be added to it; or if it occasion Thirst at any Time, Barley Water with Raisins; or in case of a Cough, the pectoral Decoction may be used between the Intervals of using the Milk.

SECT. 10.

If the Stomach be weakened by the Use of the Milk, the Patient may be allowed Sugar Biscuits, sopped in _Spanish_, _Italian_ or _Burgundy_ Wine, or any other that is neither Acid nor Foul; and if necessary, even a Glass of those Wines: Thus the Stomach will be fortified, and more easily perform its Office; if there should be a Necessity for it, some of the warm aromatic Powders may be brought into Use.

SECT. 11.

After this Diet hath been used twelve or fourteen Months, the Patient may begin to use Flesh Meats of easy Digestion, avoiding sharp, acid or salt Meats, but using such as we mentioned before, drinking Milk still, or small Beer well wrought, neither stale nor turbid.

SECT. 12.

The Cure being thus absolutely finished, it will be still necessary to take every Morning a Pint of warm Milk, and to be constantly cautious about your Diet, avoiding every thing acid or sharp.

SECT. 13.

To prevent the Milk from cruddling, some Sugar may be mixed with it, or even a little Salt, thus the Acid is prevented from gathering; but this should be done but seldom, and upon the most urgent Necessity.

SECT. 14.

Though there should not follow an immediate or sensible Change upon the Use of the Milk for some Time, yet the Patient ought not to be disheartned; for if these Rules be strictly observed, and the Patient be otherwise in a good Habit, the Pains will vanish by Degrees, and a due Strength and Tone return to the Limbs.

CHAP. III.

I Have now delivered the Directions I proposed, partly from the Authors before-mentioned, and partly from my own Experience; by a due Observation of which many Persons have been perfectly relieved from this grievous Distemper; of which I shall give some Examples. _D. Sorbait_, p. 741, tells us, that he knew several Persons, by the Use of the Milk-Diet, either perfectly cured, or their Gout so much overcome, that their Pains were dwindled to nothing. _John Pilus_, the Emperour’s Surgeon told me, that tho’ he frequently had Fits of the Gout, and almost lost the Use of his Limbs, so that he was in a very miserable Condition, yet for these three Years past, by the Help of this Diet, he hath been perfectly free from Pain, his Countenance is now become fresh and healthy, he hath had several Children, and appears as if he were born a-new. Count _Coningseck_, his Imperial Majesty’s Counsellour, found the same Benefit by this Diet; and Count _S. Hillario_ of the Emperour’s Bed-Chamber; several others, who were almost worn out with the Gout, grown pale and wan, have in a manner become young and florid again by this Diet. The Bishop of _Wallendorf_, tho’ quite impotent by the Gout, was cured by Milk. Three noble _French_ Refugees, the Marquess _de Bongi_, Monsieur _de Chamar_, and the Counsellour _de Talo_, have been now many Years free from the Gout, as appears by the Letter before inserted. I am told that a Consul, and several others at _Hambourgh_, are now using this Diet with Success. A Counsellour of _Oldenbourgh_, the Sieur _Van Velden_, hath used this Diet this last Winter with very wonderful Success; for tho’ he could neither use his Hands nor Feet, he uses both now readily and perfectly well. A Miner here in the Neighbourhood hath used Milk for these six Months past with great Benefit; he was almost a cripple, but now walks very well to the Mines. All the World knows that the famous Prince of _Conde_ was cured of the Gout in _France_ by Milk-Diet. There are two Citizens of _Hambourgh_, one of which, tho’ he hath had the Gout fifteen Years, is well recovered by the Use of Milk, and the Knots in his Joints are quite wore away. Colonel _Haste_ hath used Milk for six Months, and been free from the Gout; and tho’ he hath left off the Use of it, the Fits are much easier than before. There is no Occasion to multiply Examples; many more may be found in _Sorbait_, _Sacks_, _Greizel_, _Waldsmid_, Authors already named. I have experienced the great Benefit of this Diet in myself; I was so cruelly handled by this Distemper, that I almost lost the Use of my Limbs, and at last had a Fit every Month or Six Weeks; I was at the same Time violently afflicted with the Stone, and difficulty of Urine; but now that I have confined myself to this Diet for an Year and upwards, I have not only been free from any Fit in that Time, but the Strength of my Limbs is returned, the Dysury is abated; and what is wonderful, the Stone in my Bladder is lessened and dissolving, so that I now hope I shall get the better of the Gout, having been in a manner free from it an Year and an half; I have had some Fits indeed, but very mild ones. I take Milk to be a Medicine beyond any yet discovered for the Stone, since within the Space of one Year, the Stone in my Bladder diminished an Ounce, as I judge from the Bits I have voided and collected in that Time; and since I have left off the Cure, I have not voided one Bit. I am of Opinion, contrary to most Physicians, that Milk doth not breed the Stone in the Bladder, but only a viscid kind of Phlegm in that or any other Part.

SECT. 2.