Earliest description of gout

✍ Scribed by Fred Rosner

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1983
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 112 KB
• Volume: 26
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0004-3591
• DOI: 10.1002/art.1780260223

✦ Synopsis

1. has described the tale of Monsieur Gout as told by the Puritan divine Richard Hawes in 1635. Although the first modern description of gout is attributed to Thomas Sydenham (1624-1689) in his classic work entitled Tractatus de Podagra et Hydrope, this disease may have already been known in biblical and talmudic times (2). King Asa of Judah (915-875 B.C.) reigned happily arid peacefully for over 40 years. In his old age, he suffered from a disease in his feet, considered to be gout. The key passage is found in 1 Kings 15:23, where it is stated: Now the rest of all the acts of Asa and all that he did and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of chronicles of the Kings of Judah? But in the time of his old age, he was diseased in his feet. The Babylonian Talmud, in 2 separate discussions (Sanhedrin 48b, Sotah 10a) comments on King Asa's illness as follows: But in the time of his old age, he was diseased in his feet. Concerning this Rab Judah said in Rab's name: "He was afflicted with podagra." Mar Zutra, the son of R. Nahman, asked R. Nahman: "What is (this complaint) like?" He answered: "Like a needle in the raw flesh." But how did he (R. Nahman) know that? Either because he himself suffered with it, or alternatively, he had a tradition from