HEALTH COLUMN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2604, 10 February 1904, Page 64

HEALTH COLUMN.

Gont the Keicesis.

To the October numbc of the Gentleman's Magazine Dr Yoike-Davies contributed -an article which, following up Mr Barries dramatic satire, may be said to complete- the indictment of the gouimand. The article is also notevvoithy for its outspoken references to the exploitation of disease by the quack and tho enterprising chemist. Those- whose profession it is to remedy, where possible, the ailments and diseases to which humanity is subject must often wonder whether moie people dig their graves with their teeth than with their lips. Ui. happily, some do with both, and in this 3ase the grave is early dug, and the epitaph of the victim should run, "He lived to eat and drink, instead of, "He ate and drank to live." Gout is the Nemesis of over-indulgence arwell as an inherited evil. What ar.3 the commonest causes of gout? Dr YorkeDaviea tlras answers the question: — '"Rich In ing and free drinking of unsuitable wines, such as port, sherry, beer, stout, etc., and liquids containing sugar, or sugar combined with starch and bad spines; these make the poiron, and 1 y inducing congestion of the different organs that eliminate uric acid, and upseting\ the digestion, indue© tho attack. ... Gout is mo;e prevalent in cold climates than in hot ones, and in those predisposed by heredity, a very small excess in eating or drinking will precipitate tl'e attack. Undue physical <voik or exert on. excessive mental work or woiry, exposure to cold or wet, sudden suppression of poispiralion, emotional causes such as sudden joy, a fit of rage, loss of blood, injury to a joint or sudden wrench, will do the same. Indcect, the gouty individual is like the atmosphere when overcharged with electricity. He lias in his system a bottled thunderstorm always ready to burst out. . . . Chronio gout does not differ much from the acute. It really means that the first form has been allowed to go en by attempting to r-emedy it by medicine and a long-continued improper diet and mode of life, until the diathesis has become established. . . . The danger of flying to drugs or advertised palliatives for gout js that so doing temporarily relieves an attack, and induces the victim persistently to fly to their assistance, instead of altering the mode oi life that is at the root of the disease. . . . Gout is really an accumulation of waste products in the system, due to the malassimilation of certain foods taken in excess ... 1 might illustrate it in this way. Certain kinds of coal will foul a chimney very rapidly; another kind of coal may be burnt for yeirs without any such result. The sensible house-holder will fhocee the coal that burns brightly, leaves but little waste, and does not foul the chimney. The careless one will burn anything that comes. His chimney soon becomes clogged, and the result of it is a dirty, smoky room. This may be a homely way of putting it, but it represent* the state of- the gouty individual if you apply the food that he take? into the body in contradistinction to the coal consumed in the grate. The gouty individual does not believe or take the trouble to learn that, if he inherits gout, or if he dofs not inherit it, certain foods and fluids that Le is m the habit of eating or diinking, taken in excess, and without tu/licient exercise to work them off. are productive of gout. If the gouty individual takes more food than the system requires for the operations of life, there are plenty of troubles in &tore for him, in addition to gout, which will prevent his enjoying life in the way of such pleasures as shooting, hunting, fishing, tennis, etc. When the ability to enjoy these is gone, there is little left to thesybarite but the pleasures of the table, which have caused tho trouble, and will go on causing it until the end. . . . Tho proper course for the sufferer from gout is to consult a physician, who will go fully into the matter of diet and drink, and the mode of life that causes the ailment, and correct the errors. . . "Of course, it is very comforting when we suffer from gout to be able to blame our ancestors; indeed, it is very comforting to blame our ancestors foi any faults that we may have; but still there is no question but that the port-win© diinking habits of out grandfathers left us a legacy of gout which will take many years to enuTicale, if it is ever eradicated at all. Possibly many who read this article have been left by their ancestois heavily-mortgaged estates, and what liav-e. they to do? The} have to economies for some years, live very carcfuliy, deny themselves luxuries, and Ihon, perhaps, as a result of ail this sciupulous pcov.omy, after a few years start un-neum-bcrecl. This applies to the scuty individual. If his ancestor has ieft him an estate m gout, he must live carefully and not overeat or over-drink, live to a certain extent by luie, so as to keep his system clear of the poison and to enable the different organs of the body to acquire better habits, and in this oa.;e the diathesis will die out. . . . One thing is very certain, and that is, that there is no such thing as rapidly curing tho gouty liathesis when it is once firmly established, and certain it is that no amount of Marienbad waters or Irugs will do this.' Incidentally, Dr Yoike-Davies refeitj co the dietary drawn up foi the use of the soldiers or sailors, and observes that "of all the ridiculous dietaries, the present one drawn up for the sailor is the ino.t abui.rd. He is allowed on on a\erage nearly 60oz of moist food per day, and this he eat 1 - at fhe different meals. I have no doubt that whoe\-er they were whe Irew this our thought that it would make an active, erroaq; man, but it will do exactly the reverse. It will mako a fat man, and a lazy man, a - id a gouty man, and everything but wh it a sailor should be. It contains about^ thrfe times as much farinaceous food as it -i>ouLl, a:nl i little above half the amount of animil food necessary for a fighting man." In conclusion, Dr Ycrkc-Davies concludes with a f<=*vv hints as to the- bc=t chat for the- gouty, ftith the provision that eveij liidnidual may require somo moeHficatiors applicable to hi> particular case: — '"In the first place, it is necessary to put restrictions on those > f the gouty diathesis and to allow a diet with but a sufficient amount of proper nourishment to be consumed. j?1io meals snouid be taken regularly, at proper inter■v.iK, and plenty of time allowed. Veiy late dinners or 6uppors should not be taken, though, of course, a dinner at 7 p.m. &r 7.50 p.m. would be permissible. The nature of the food is naturally very important, and it ihcaild combine vegetables and paiioul food in proper proportion, due regard being

paid to tho proper nutrition and strength of tlio body. As far as animal foods are concerned, the most suitable for the gouty are white firsh of all kinds, game, chicken, fowl, mutton, lamb, and occasionally tender beef may be indulged in. Gouty subjects fhould ah-tain from or take only a very limited amount of sugar or sweets, psstry, swiot puddings, etc Fruits of all kinds may bo eaten, with the exception of \ciy swe-et ones. Grapes, oranges, lemons, and gjeen foods of all kinds are allowable Green salads, either cooked or iincpoked may be taken to almost any extent compatible with appetite. Th© smaller the nuinbf'i- of courses taken at each meal ths better, as the gouty subject is then not tempted to take more food than he requires. Tho question of drink is an important one, and harmless fluid in any quantity is admissible, and even wine, sparkling or still, it free from sugar, may be taken in modercit'un -pith impunity. In these days it is possible tc get absolutely dry sherry and oven absolutely dry champagne, that the ycuity subject may drink with perfect safety, but the best wine of all for those of tins diathesis is hock or moselle. Gout is very rare on the Rhine or the Moselle. A liiile absolutely dry cherry will suit come gouty patients well, and even port, if it has matured in cask foi 40 or 50 years, nic.y oe taken in strict moderation; a little spirit in other*, such as liollands or gm : me! wiiat stimulant is taken ehoukl be taken a+ meals, and not between. It is highly impomnt that people of a gouty nature should drink wine of good quality."