Dolæus Johannes
Dolæus upon the cure of the gout by milk-diet
SECT. 9
It may be asked, How this Part of the Milk comes to be serviceable in the Gout, and other scorbutick Disorders? Because its Parts are slimy, chalky, and earthy, they gently temper the Acrimony of the Humours, and imbibe and absorb it; and this is the Reason why the Milk of Nurses who feed upon Acids, or whose Blood hath a Tendency that Way, soon turns; for such acid Particles being separated in the Glands of the Breasts, by coagulating and thinning the Milk, by separating from the other Particles of the Milk, and staying behind, are the Occasion that the Milk comes out unfit for Nourishment.
SECT. 10
The third Part of the Milk, which is serous, contains watry, gelatinous and nitrous Particles; if Milk sowres and coagulates out of the Body, the gelatinous Parts of the Serum, being somewhat thicker and more earthy, change their Motion and Situation, and being more closely mixed with the oily Particles, become that cheesy Substance we before took Notice of. The Power of the Serum is to be attributed to its watry and abstersive nitrous Particles, by Means whereof it hath a Power of deterging, consolidating, sweetning and tempering the Acrimony of the Humours, and of increasing the Discharges by Urine and Siege; it removes Obstructions in the Bowels, heals Ulcers, and corrects the Sharpness of the Humours, in as much as it dilutes the acrid and volatile Salts, and fixes them by means of its nitrous Particles. It is of great use in feverish Heats, and by its alexipharmick Power is much esteemed in malignant Fevers, so that its Virtue in the Gout is less to be wondered at. In the Gout, the fixed morbid Matter sticking in the small Canals, and the Interstices of the Membranes and mucilaginous Glands, is very tough, viscid, sharp and austere; the serous Particles of the Milk easily pass through and pervade those Ducts and Canals, and by the watry Particles dilute those sharp Salts and stagnating Humours, and partly imbibe and absorb them; so that either by insensible Perspiration, Urine, or some other Discharge, they send them forth of the Body. For this End they correct and break them so as to make their Passage easier. It is observable, that the Salts of the Serum easily assimilate themselves to other Salts, and upon this Account a difference of Food occasions different Milk. Goats that have fed upon purging Herbs, Spurge or Scammony, as in Syria or other Countries where such Herbs grow wild, give Milk endowed with a strong purgative Power; and Saffron frequently given communicates both its Smell and Colour to the Milk.
SECT. 11
For these Reasons those that feed upon Milk should take Care that the Animal they take it from have sweet and good Pasture; Cows give sweeter and better Milk in Summer, when fed upon odoriferous Grass, than in Winter on Hay and Straw. I do not think it necessary here, to recite all the Virtues of the serous Part of the Milk in the Cure of other Distempers, because they are well known to Physicians; but it may be observed, that the several essential Parts of Milk, which I have here explained, being united and thoroughly mixed, as they are in the Milk, exert a greater Efficacy in dissolving and breaking the Salts and viscid Humours that lodge about the Joints, and expelling the gouty Matter. When the Blood is impregnated with Milk, it yields a softer Liquor to the mucilaginous Glands of the Joints, so that the Membranes and Tendons are lubricated with a soft insipid Mucilage, and the natural Motions are performed without Pain or Uneasiness; or if the Membranes be too dry, or complicated with any sharp Matter, which occasions Obstructions, they are so relaxed, that upon removing the Obstruction they regain their former Force and Vigour. Care must be taken of what I before advised, that before the Milk be thoroughly brought into Use, the latent Acid in the Bowels be first corrected and discharged by absorbent and cleansing Medicines, and a laudable Diet premised for some Time, that no Coagulation of the Milk, or other Inconveniencies, be incurred. Upon this Foot a certain Cure is to be expected. A prudent Physician will easily dispose a Body whose Powers are not entirely destroyed to receive this Diet. Perhaps some may object here, that the Gout being caused by an acid Salt, rendring the Juices about the Joints more viscid and sharp, therefore so long as there remains a Disposition to the Gout, from this Cause, Milk cannot safely be brought into Use. To this I answer, That the Gout is often caused by a singular lixivial Salt, and bilious Acrimony, especially in Persons of a sanguine Constitution, where no volatile Acid is observable, either in the first Passages, or in the Blood; or if there be any acid Salts in the first Passages, by frequent Circulations they are so joined with the volatile Salt of the Blood, that they become lixivial and bilious. But when there really are acid Humours in the Body, by taking alcaline Absorbents and Cleansers of the Blood, and by proper Diet, they may be so corrected, as from Acids to become lixivial, and assume the Nature of middle Kind of Salts. Upon the frequent Use of alkaline Absorbents, the Pains of the Gout are mightily lessened, because the solid Spicula of the Acid are broke and changed. Upon this Principle, Dr. Willis his Mixture of the Solution of Salt of Tartar, and Sal Ammoniac, in Rain Water, externally applied, is an excellent Remedy. A Friend of mine used to remove the Pains of the Gout instantly, by an Ointment made of Quick Lime; and upon the same Principles, Spirit of Sal Ammoniac, Camphire, Spirit and Oyl of Tartar, and even Urine, wonderfully remove the Pain; as also Spirit of Scurvygrass, Cresses, Sal Volatile, Amber, and others of that Class. When the Humours that cause the Gout are more bilious, lixivial, and corrosive, these Medicines are not so proper; for volatile and spirituous Medicines increase the Distemper; but the more fixed nitrous Absorbents, oily and acid, ought to be externally applied; as Balsam of Sulphur with Amber, Bathing, and Spirit of Pismires, sowre Buttermilk, Herring Brine, the Juice of Earthworms expressed with Wine, as being full of nitrous Salts, a Poultice of Bread and Milk, with a little Saffron, or Bole, or sealed Earth, or the inward Use of the Decoctions of the Woods, and many other earthy Absorbents. Caspar Rheinbold, his Highness’s Principal Apothecary, prepares a Medicine from Gold chemically, which is an admirable Secret in the Cure of the Gout, of which I can attest the Truth. It is also excellent in the Stone, prevents its growing, and mitigates the Pain of it. The Antients exhibited the Juice of Earthworms expressed in Milk, with Success: By these Means the corrosive and volatile Salts are inverted, fixed, and thrown forth of the Body by Urine and Sweat.
SECT. 12
Because the morbid Matter rests chiefly about the Tendons and nervous Membranes, especially in the mucilaginous Glands, and cannot suddenly and at one Push be driven out of such narrow Vessels and Cells; it is necessary to continue the Diet for a good while, till the Body be thoroughly purged of vicious Humours, and begins as it were to renew its Youth. Lenient and laxative Purgers are sometimes to be used, because the Stomach and Bowels in gouty Persons are weak; so that it often happens that Milk, by reason of the slow Progress of Chylification, by its intestine Motion, is vehemently agitated and precipitated, so as to occasion a Slime in the first Passages; but in a little Time this Evil is prevented by such Medicines as strengthen the Stomach, and prevent Coagulations in the Milk; the most lenient Purgatives are the best, and Rhubarb to be preferred for at the same Time that it evacuates, it gives a fresh Tone to the Fibres of the Bowels.
SECT. 13
The Excellency of Milk, not only in the Gout, but in other Disorders, having been thus demonstrated, I shall subjoin the Judgment of some Authors in its Favour. Emmanuel Konig, in his Regnum Animale, admires the wonderful Power of Milk in Medicine, as well as Nourishment. Wepfer, in his Observations, says, there is certainly somewhat divine in Milk, since we see gouty Persons relieved by it, Hypocondriack and Nephritick Persons relieved by its use, the whole Habit strengthened, the Complexion cleared up, and fresh Powers acquired to the Body. He tells us, that he knew a Gentlewoman at Friburgh, who was in an almost miraculous Manner relieved from terrible Convulsions, Suffocation of the Womb, Hysterick Symptoms, by the Use of Milk alone, obstinately persisted in for some Years. Milk, by its asswaging, sulphureous Power, and its nitro-saline deterging Quality, dulcifies the sharp and acid Humours, whence its Cream and Butter thence arising, are very anodine; the one beat up with Sugar of Lead, corrects the corrosive Acid in cancerous Tumours; and the other drank warm in a Diarrhœa, mitigates the sharp Twitches in the Bowels that attend that Distemper, and immediately asswages and stops the Pain and Gripings. Externally applied and rubbed in a proper manner, it gives Relief in the Stone, and helps to propel it into the Bladder. Daniel Ludovicus hath asserted, that Butter either by it self, or mixed with other Ingredients, exceeds all the Officinal Ointments and compound Oyls. In Consumptions and Hecticks its Powers are very well known. Solenander and Konig advise a Pound of Milk, in which an Handful of Elder Flowers have been boiled, drank every Morning for nine Days successively in May, as a Specifick in St. Anthony’s Fire. Tachius tells us of what great Use it was in restoring crippled Limbs to a Person that was quite tired out with Baths, and other Remedies. In the German Ephemeris there is an Instance of an Hypocondriac Epilepsy cured by three Ounces of Milk, in which was dissolved half a Drachm of Spanish Soap, taken every Morning. And Sylvius tells us of many Icterical People cured by that Medicine.
CHAP. VI
Before I finish this Discourse, I shall endeavour to give some Account why People that have been cured by this Method, and have lived many Years free from the Gout, at certain Times of the Year, particularly upon Change of Weather, or at that Time of the Year when they used to have the Fits, perceive some slight and obscure Pains about the Joints of those Limbs that were formerly attacked. This I suppose to arise from the Blood and Humours being thickned by the preternatural Influence of the Air at those Seasons; if upon such a Cause the Humours become thicker in the mucilaginous Glands, the Membranes must of course be distended. Now because this doth not proceed from any particular Acrimony, but from a Fullness and slight Distention, therefore the Pain thence arising is hardly perceivable, and vanishes upon gentle Exercise and walking, in which the Motion of the Blood is a little increased.
SECT. 2
It is necessary in the next Place to propose and confute some Objections of Persons who refuse this Diet as extremely noxious. Altho’, say they, Persons have found great Benefit by strictly adhering to this Diet, yet upon returning again to the Use of common Food, however mild and gentle, they have been afflicted with the Gout worse than ever. The Powers of the Body being weakned by this Diet, have been less able to resist the Force of this Distemper, it hath become more dangerous, and the Fits of longer Continuance. If we may give Credit to Experience as well as Reason, we shall find this Matter far otherwise, for it appears from what we have said, that many Persons have not only been freed from the Gout in this Method, but have likewise continued free many Years after they have left it off; particularly the three Gentlemen now living at the Hague, the Marquiss de Bongi, Monsieur Chamar, and the Counsellour de Talo. It is observable, that having gone through the Diet, they returned to different kinds of Food, and have now lived with their Friends as usual without any Inconvenience for several Years, excepting the Marquiss, who twice or thrice in the Compass of nine or ten Years hath been afflicted with it, (probably owing to some Error in the Non-Naturals;) it is no less reasonable to believe, that where the Aliments are easier changed into good Chyle, and communicated to the Blood in proper Quantities, better Spirits should be produced, and of Consequence the Vigour of the Parts should be restored and augmented. That this is natural to Milk, appears from common Experience in the Diet of such as use chiefly Milk and Water, (as the Country People in Switzerland) for they exceed those of other Countries and Places who live upon Flesh-Meats, in the Largeness and Health of their Bodies, and the Floridness of their Complections, and you shall seldom find any among them subject to the Gout, the Scurvy, Hypochondriack, or other Distempers.
SECT. 3
If any object that gouty Persons, in the Beginning of the Diet, find their Stomach and Limbs weakned by the Milk, so that they have need of Stomachick and other strengthening Medicines, let it be remembred that the Glands of the Stomach and Bowels in gouty Persons, that furnish the Stomachick and intestinal Juices, are obstructed and furred with a viscid kind of Matter, so that only the more subtile and liquid Fluids can enter their Pores; hence the watry Part of the Milk, with very few oily nutritious Particles, enter those Pores and Canals, so that the Chyle becomes too watry, not being sufficiently impregnated with a proper Quantity of oily Particles. This Chyle not being sufficiently stored with nutritious Particles, being delivered into the Blood, occasions a Languor and Weakness, while the thicker Parts of the Milk go off with the Excrement. But after a while, when the watry Parts of the Milk have frequently entered the Mass of the Blood, and have resolved, imbibed and inverted the corrosive Salts that coagulate the Humours, and expelled them by Perspiration or Urine; then by Degrees, those Humours that are separated in the Glands, and serve to the Concoction and Digestion of the Aliment, as the Spittle, the Juices of the Stomach and Bowels, the Bile, the pancreatick Juice, become thinner, and the Canals and Pores of those Glands are rendred fit, not only to receive the watry Parts of the Milk, but the oily nutritious Parts also, and of forming them into good and laudable Chyle. The Reason why gouty People using their ordinary Aliment, retain more Strength and Vigour, is this, not only the Pores of the Glands of the Stomach and Bowels are by long use more apt to admit Particles from their ordinary Food, but its Parts also are more thick and heavy, so that the chylous Part is protruded by the Weight of the superincumbent Particles. To this concurrs a particular Acrimony, by Means whereof the Coats of the Stomach are vellicated, and exert a greater Force in separating the Chyle, whereas Milk which presses more gently, does not so easily enter Pores stuffed with viscid Humours, but rather insinuates itself by Degrees in those Canals where it can find Passage. If the Tone of the Bowels be in a natural State, and the first Passages be not loaded with acid and viscid Humours, Milk from a natural Affinity, is more easily converted into Chyle, and nourishes and strengthens the Body more than any other Food, which takes more Time in its Digestion, especially if some fine unfermented Wheaten Bread be taken along with it; for by this Means the Parts of the Chyle are rendred more heavy, and easily enter the lacteal Vessels, communicate a solid Nourishment to the Body, and the Strength thereof is mightily restored, without the least Hazard of any Damage.
SECT. 4
Notwithstanding what I have endeavoured to prove, that gouty Persons, after having been cured by this Method, may again return to their common way of living, without fear of a Relapse; yet I do not deny but it is an easy matter to bring on the Gout again, and that in a more violent Manner than before, by great Errors in Diet, indulging in acid Foods, smoaked Meats, and such as are flatulent and of bad Digestion; too frequent drinking of acid and generous Wines; giving way to the Passions of Anger and Sorrow, the use of Women, or being exposed to the Inclemencies of the Air. No doubt these will return the Distemper with great Violence, and bring the Patient into manifest danger. It is absolutely necessary to chuse such Food as will give Chyle analogous to Milk, and to avoid all Acid and Salt Food with the greatest Caution. And although some People have indulged their Appetites after the Cure, without any great Inconvenience, yet it is certainly more advisable to live moderately, since too much Boldness is not always successful; which the Patient will certainly be encouraged to do, upon recalling to mind the terrible Pains he hath suffered, hardly relievable by any Art.
SECT. 5
It may be enquired how it comes to pass, that a Person cured by this Diet shall continue free from the Gout, though he return to his former Method of living, provided he take every Morning a small Quantity of warm Milk. The Reason of this I take to be, that the Milk, by long Use, during the Time of the Cure, hath either changed or expelled all the sharp Acrimony of the Blood and Humours, and rendred the Fibres and Membranes more loose, so that there is an easier Circulation of the Juices; new acid Salts are not so easily formed and thrown upon the Membranes so as to occasion the Gout, especially if the Diet be of a good Kind, and a certain Quantity of Milk taken every Morning, which by its plentiful oily Parts, and soft serous ones, prevents the Salts from uniting. I am sensible I may have omitted some Doubts that might arise against the Use of this Diet, but whatever they be, they may easily be answered from what was said before, and the Use thereof fully cleared up; for lesser Difficulties, it is not worth while to spend Time about them. I shall only add, that several People have expected the Cure of the Gout in the Use of Gruels and Water. As to Water, it is evident from Experience, as Poterius and Hoffman have observed, that it is frequently serviceable in removing this Distemper. Since gouty Persons are of a saline Constitution, there cannot be a better drink used than pure light Water, that will make its way both by the Skin and by Urine; for such drank freely drives forth the foreign Salts, and makes the Juices fluid. I have seen Persons cured of the Gout, whose Joints were contracting, by drinking only pure Spring Water in large Quantities. The Case of a Man, who was a Cripple for nine Years successively, from an ill cured Tertian, deserves Observation. He drank of the Water of this Place, which is very wholesome and something Vitriolick, for a Month together, sometimes to the Quantity of eight Quarts; he made Urine plentifully, and came gradually to the Use of his Hands and Feet; so that he could both walk and gripe any thing with his Hands in a short Time, to the Admiration of all those who knew his Condition before. From hence it appears, that large Quantities of Water do no Mischief, but by the Pressure are most powerfully deobstruent. I knew a gouty Gentleman who drank warm Beer with great Success in the Gout; and the Chinese, who drink their Water warm, are not subject to this Distemper. There are various Ways of removing Obstructions, and tempering the Acrimony of the Juices, but we are very much in doubt, whether by these Methods the very Cause of the Gout can be so thoroughly extirpated and conveniently cured, as by the Use of Milk; for Water drank in too great Quantities (as it is not endowed with any nutritious Particles) weakens the Tone of the Bowels, and damps the vital heat; though if it be used with Caution, in Distempers arising from an Acrimony of the Juices, it is very often of great Efficacy.