Origin and history of gout

joint disease, c. 1200, from Old French gote "a drop, bead; the gout, rheumatism" (10c., Modern French goutte), from Latin gutta "a drop," in Medieval Latin "gout," a word of unknown origin. In old medicine the disease was thought to be caused by drops of viscous humors seeping from the blood into the joints, which turns out to be close to the modern scientific explanation. It often was caused by the drinking of heavy or sweet wines, or excessive beer drinking combined with insufficient food.