[Bernard Marx]

That's interesting because Benjamin Franklin has mtDNA haplogroup 'V' which is predominant in the Sa'ami people (Laplanders, who live in northern Finland).

Interesting factoid? Where'd you come up with that?

I think that gout may have been prevalent in Franklin's time mainly because of the high meat content in diets. Historical accounts of menus during that general time period are very heavy on game meats, internal organ meats (heart, kidneys, liver, etc.), which is not to say that there's not a hereditary predisposition to the ailment -- there is.

Gout was so common then they made special "gout chairs" that had an attached foot rest. Gout pain is eased a little when the affected foot is held out straight from the body.

[blam]

"Interesting factoid? Where'd you come up with that?"

I had my DNA analysed this summer and discovered that I have mtDNA 'V' and yDNA 'R1b' and came across it just reading up on the Sa'ami.

[blam]

See post #14 & 15.