and animal life very much subsists. But the universal frame of nature depends upon action and re-action. The proper measure of it creates a good constitution and harmony of the functions and health; from a preponderancy flow discord and diseases, and particularly the subject of our present enquiry.
These salts being too long retain'd in the circulatory organs become highly volatiliz'd and caustic. All salts are more or less caustic, but most, such as have pass'd thro' an animal; from such urinous salts the phosphorous only can be produc'd. Spanish flys, bees, wasps, ants and all those kind of creatures which blister, are made up, as it were, of these caustic salts. Glow-worms, lanthorn-flys may be call'd a living phosphorous. The sting of bees, wasps, and all poyfons of animals are made of these caustic salts. And they much resemble the pain of the gout, which differs from common pain, and feels like that of a hot coal or hot iron apply'd to the part. And no doubt with great propriety; the matter of the gout may be termed a liquid phosphorous, a subtle poysonous gas which nature exterminates for her relief. What we call a rheumatism is the arthritis vaga of the ancients, 'tis a real gout in another mode; and admits of the same cure.
