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.