Gout Was Named After Drops Falling Into a Joint
Gout is a painful joint condition caused by crystals. Medieval doctors pictured a liquid dripping in.
Gout is a form of arthritis caused by uric acid crystals forming in a joint, most often the base of the big toe. The name records a medieval theory: Latin *gutta* means a drop, and physicians believed a corrupt humour dripped into the joint, drop by drop. The picture was wrong but the mechanism they were reaching for was not far off — something does accumulate in the joint. *Gout* was long called the disease of kings because it was associated with rich food and wine.
- A joint condition. *An attack of gout.*
- Uric acid crystals. *The cause.*
- A drop (archaic). *A gout of blood.*
- Latin — *gutta*, a drop. *The root.*
- Gutter — the same root. *A gutter.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | gout | Gout. |
| Adjective | gouty | Gouty. |
| Related | gutter | A gutter. |
| Related | gutta-percha | Gutta-percha. |
| Latin | gutta | A drop. |
- Gout struck his big toe.Medicine.
- Gutta means a drop.Etymology.
- A gout of blood.Archaic.
What actually happens in gout
- Uric acid builds up in the blood
- It crystallises in cooler joints, often the big toe
- The immune system attacks the crystals, causing severe inflammation
- Attacks come suddenly, frequently at night
- Diet contributes but heredity and kidney function matter more
Old French *goute*, from Latin *gutta*, a drop, from the medieval theory of humours dripping into a joint.
Why is gout named after a drop?
Medieval physicians believed a corrupt humour dripped into the joint drop by drop. Latin gutta means a drop.
What actually causes gout?
Uric acid crystallising in a joint, which the immune system then attacks, producing sudden and severe inflammation.