How did Erasmus experiment with the Mendacity Tree, and what was the result?

Erasmus faked an injury and limped for weeks. The tree bore fruit, and he ate it. He was then taken on a journey inside his own body and discovered something that resembled “simmering, noxious green lakes” (157). A couple of months later, he had his first attack of gout, and came to belief that vision was predicting the gout. Because the lie was related to his health, the revelation was as well.