William Stukeley and the Gout
Medical History, 1992, 36: 160-186. WILLIAM STUKELEY AND THE GOUT by KEVIN J. FRASER * Gout was an ubiquitous disease in Georgian England. Although its victims were often immobilized at home for weeks on end, it was not, however, entirely unwelcome. Predominately a male disease, because of its frequency in the corridors of power and association with extravagant lifestyles, it was perceived as socially desirable. Moreover, there was the belief that the gouty were protected from more life- threatening disorders such as palsy, dropsy or apoplexy. Physicians were therefore often reluctant to treat attacks ofacute gout. Such therapeutic nihilism was convenient as gout had been considered the opprobrium medicorum since ancient times and many were prepared to suffer their attacks obediently. Others continued to search for a cure, looking beyond a disturbance of the four bodily humours for the cause of the disease. Pamphleteers fed the huge public appetite for such information, and the diaries and letters ofthe period contain frequent references to gout. However, these accounts often leave some uncertainty about the diagnosis, as most other forms ofarthritis were yet to be distinguished from gout. William Stukeley's descriptions of his own gout are, therefore, of particular importance, for they leave no doubt about the diagnosis.' Not only do they provide * Kevin J. Fraser, MBBS, MRCP(UK), FRACP, Medical History Unit and Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Australia. Mailing Address: Austin Private Consulting Suite, 226 Burgundy Street, Heidelberg 3084, Victoria, Australia. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This work was made possible by the generous assistance of Mrs Elizabeth White (Texas Medical Center Library), Mr Geoffrey Davenport (Royal College of Physicians), Mr Steven Tomlinson (Bodleian Library), and Mr Alan Clark and Ms Sandra Cumming (Royal Society), Mr Norman Leveritt (Spalding Gentleman's Society) Mr Nicholas Muellner (Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University) and Dr Mark Nicholls (Cambridge University Library).
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