not only afford relief in the fit, but will
prevent its return with such violence, and at last totally eradicate
it, provided the constitution be not completely exhausted, and almost
every joint stiffened with calcarious concretions.

The inflammation of the extremities may at any time be relieved by
means of electricity, or by stimulant embrocations applied to the
part, and this without any danger whatever of throwing the complaint
on some more vital part, as has generally been imagined. If I were to
apply any debilitating means to the part, I should then probably
relieve the pain; but, by debilitating the whole system, should cause
an attack of the stomach, or some other internal part, as has been
already explained; but by a stimulant application to the inflamed
part I run no such risk. The inflammation is of the asthenic kind,
depending upon a debility of the small vessels, whereby they do not
afford sufficient resistance to the propelling force, and therefore
become morbidly distended, or inflamed, as it is termed, though this
term is certainly improper, even in a metaphorical view: but a
stimulant application to the part excites the debilitated vessels to
action; their contraction diminishes the morbid quantity of blood;
and the balance between the propelling and resisting forces being
restored, the inflammation of course ceases. This is not a mere
deduction, a priori, from the theory of inflammation, which I have
delivered; it is the result of repeated experience. I have seen
several very violent gouty inflammations very speedily removed by
electricity. Small sparks should be drawn from the part affected, at
first through flannel, and increased as the patient can bear them:
sparks alone are necessary; recourse need never be had to shocks. But
though we thus remove a very painful part of the disease, yet still a
formidable debility remains, and unless this be removed, the
inflammation will be apt to return. In endeavouring to remove this
general debility, we must recollect, that it is of the indirect kind,
or depends upon an exhausted state of the excitability; our great
object therefore, is to allow the excitability to accumulate. But
this accumulation depends as well upon the proper action of the
different functions, as upon the withdrawing of stimulants: we ought
therefore to guard carefully against costiveness, by which the proper
action of the stomach and bowels is very much injured: but we must
use warm lax