What can a swollen toe reveal about the rise and fall of empires, the habits of the wealthy, and the health of the modern world? In this fascinating talk, Dorian Haskard explores the long and curious history of gout, a condition as steeped in myth and metaphor as it is in medicine. Once dubbed the ‘disease of kings’, gout has reflected changing ideas about wealth, indulgence, and responsibility for centuries. Tracing its story from early misconceptions to modern scientific understanding, Haskard reveals how medicine, media, and society have shaped what we think we know about the condition. Surprisingly resurgent today, gout offers a striking lens on contemporary health challenges. Investigating ‘the Gout’ provides a microcosm not only of our social and medical history, but of our present and rapidly changing world.