Gout has been recognised for thousands of years, which means humanity has had thousands of years to come up with some extraordinary explanations and remedies.
Ancient Egyptian descriptions provide some of the earliest evidence associated with podagra.
Hippocrates described podagra and associated it with affluent living.
The word gout developed from the idea that bodily humours could “drop” into an affected joint.
Antonie van Leeuwenhoek described needle-like material from a gouty tophus under the microscope, long before its chemistry was fully understood.
Gout became a favourite subject for satire and caricature, often aimed at wealthy diners and drinkers.
Historical remedies are history, not treatment recommendations. Some old gout remedies involved toxic substances or plants.