Origins and Early Recognition
Gout is one of the oldest diseases known to humanity. Its earliest descriptions are found in ancient texts, long before the advent of modern medicine. The classical Greek physician Hippocrates (c. 460–c. 370 BCE), often regarded as the father of medicine, is credited with providing one of the earliest detailed descriptions of gout. In his works, Hippocrates described a disease marked by “excessive pain and swelling in the joints,” noting the recurring nature of attacks and the predilection for the big toe.
The term "gout" itself derives from the Latin word gutta, meaning “a drop,” reflecting the ancient belief that gout was caused by drops of corrupted humors falling into the joints. This ties into the humoral theory of medicine that dominated Western thought for over a millennium, where health depended on the balance of four bodily fluids: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile.
Ancient Indian Ayurvedic medicine also recognized symptoms akin to gout. The classical text Sushruta Samhita (c. 600 BCE) describes a painful joint disease that resembles gout, with treatments involving dietary restrictions and herbal remedies. Similarly, traditional Chinese medicine acknowledged joint pain and swelling conditions, though they were often categorized differently. shutdown123