Dr. Beer's New practice of physic: or, A safe, easy, & effectual method of curing the most obstinate diseases : adapted to the kind efforts of nature; and illustrated as well as confirmed by a variety of suitable cases: to which are prefixed, candid remarks on the illusions of brilliant theories, and on the only true grounds of rational confidence in the treatment of the gout, the scrophula, consumptions, asthmas, nervous affections, and other disorders, hitherto deemed hopeless.

  • Beer, Dr.
Date:
[1803]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. Beer's New practice of physic: or, A safe, easy, & effectual method of curing the most obstinate diseases : adapted to the kind efforts of nature; and illustrated as well as confirmed by a variety of suitable cases: to which are prefixed, candid remarks on the illusions of brilliant theories, and on the only true grounds of rational confidence in the treatment of the gout, the scrophula, consumptions, asthmas, nervous affections, and other disorders, hitherto deemed hopeless. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    28/74 (page 22)
    ©f Nature in the prevention and cure of difeafes; Let us now apply our general remarks to particu¬ lar complaints, to the gout for inftance, which is acknowledged to be the genuine offspring of lux¬ ury and indolence. We may no doubt derive from our parents a hereditary pre-difpofition to this complaint; but its attacks are always encou¬ raged by our own imprudence. | need not be very minute in my description of a regular fit of the gout. It is enough for my prefent purpofe to obffrve, that it is generally pret¬ ended by indigeftion, frequent burfts of wind, fick- itefs, and fometimes vomiting, all of them fare in¬ dications of the disordered and enfeebled ftate of the ftomach and bowels. Nature by thefe mean& having fought relief in vain, the heart and the feve- Tal yafcular parts of the body exert their powers to expel the offending matter from the fyftem ; and that violent exertion neceffarily produces a fever, accompanied with acute pain. The feat of pain in the firfi fits of the gout plainly {hews the defign of Nature to drive the enemy as far as poffible from the citadel of life: The parts affeffed are the great toe, the heel, and, fometimes the ankle or calf of the leg : and the pain does not abate, till they begin to fwell, ap¬ pear red or inflamed, and are covered with a little moiiture* The patient then drops afleep, and commonly