on ancient medicine-第2章

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soups；　by　mixing　a　few　strong　things　with　much　water；　and　thus
abstracting　that　which　was　strong　in　them　by　dilution　and　boiling。　But
such　as　could　not　manage　even　soups；　laid　them　aside；　and　had　recourse
to　drinks；　and　so　regulated　them　as　to　mixture　and　quantity；　that　they
were　administered　neither　stronger　nor　weaker　than　what　was　required。
　　6。　But　this　ought　to　be　well　known；　that　soups　do　not　agree　with
certain　persons　in　their　diseases；　but；　on　the　contrary；　when
administered　both　the　fevers　and　the　pains　are　exacerbated；　and　it
becomes　obvious　that　what　was　given　has　proved　food　and　increase　to
the　disease；　but　a　wasting　and　weakness　to　the　body。　But　whatever
persons　so　affected　partook　of　solid　food；　or　cake；　or　bread；　even
in　small　quantity；　would　be　ten　times　and　more　decidedly　injured
than　those　who　had　taken　soups；　for　no　other　reason　than　from　the
strength　of　the　food　in　reference　to　the　affection；　and　to
whomsoever　it　is　proper　to　take　soups　and　not　eat　solid　food；　such　a
one　will　be　much　more　injured　if　he　eat　much　than　if　he　eat　little；
but　even　little　food　will　be　injurious　to　him。　But　all　the　causes　of
the　sufferance　refer　themselves　to　this　rule；　that　the　strongest
things　most　especially　and　decidedly　hurt　man；　whether　in　health　or　in
disease。
　　7。　What　other　object；　then；　had　he　in　view　who　is　called　a
physician；　and　is　admitted　to　be　a　practitioner　of　the　art；　who
found　out　the　regimen　and　diet　befitting　the　sick；　than　he　who
originally　found　out　and　prepared　for　all　mankind　that　kind　of　food
which　we　all　now　use；　in　place　of　the　former　savage　and　brutish　mode
of　living？　To　me　it　appears　that　the　mode　is　the　same；　and　the
discovery　of　a　similar　nature。　The　one　sought　to　abstract　those　things
which　the　constitution　of　man　cannot　digest；　because　of　their　wildness
and　intemperature；　and　the　other　those　things　which　are　beyond　the
powers　of　the　affection　in　which　any　one　may　happen　to　be　laid　up。
Now；　how　does　the　one　differ　from　the　other；　except　that　the　latter
admits　of　greater　variety；　and　requires　more　application；　whereas
the　former　was　the　commencement　of　the　process？
　　8。　And　if　one　would　compare　the　diet　of　sick　persons　with　that　of
persons　in　health；　he　will　find　it　not　more　injurious　than　that　of
healthy　persons　in　comparison　with　that　of　wild　beasts　and　of　other
animals。　For；　suppose　a　man　laboring　under　one　of　those　diseases　which
are　neither　serious　and　unsupportable；　nor　yet　altogether　mild；　but
such　as　that；　upon　making　any　mistake　in　diet；　it　will　become
apparent；　as　if　he　should　eat　bread　and　flesh；　or　any　other　of　those
articles　which　prove　beneficial　to　healthy　persons；　and　that；　too；　not
in　great　quantity；　but　much　less　than　he　could　have　taken　when　in　good
health；　and　that　another　man　in　good　health；　having　a　constitution
neither　very　feeble；　nor　yet　strong；　eats　of　those　things　which　are
wholesome　and　strengthening　to　an　ox　or　a　horse；　such　as　vetches；
barley；　and　the　like；　and　that；　too；　not　in　great　quantity；　but　much
less　than　he　could　take；　the　healthy　person　who　did　so　would　be
subjected　to　no　less　disturbance　and　danger　than　the　sick　person　who
took　bread　or　cake　unseasonably。　All　these　things　are　proofs　that
Medicine　is　to　be　prosecuted　and　discovered　by　the　same　method　as
the　other。
　　9。　And　if　it　were　simply；　as　is　laid　down；　that　such　things　as　are
stronger　prove　injurious；　but　such　as　are　weaker　prove　beneficial
and　nourishing；　both　to　sick　and　healthy　persons；　it　were　an　easy
matter；　for　then　the　safest　rule　would　be　to　circumscribe　the　diet
to　the　lowest　point。　But　then　it　is　no　less　mistake；　nor　one　that
injuries　a　man　less；　provided　a　deficient　diet；　or　one　consisting　of
weaker　things　than　what　mare　proper；　be　administered。　For；　in　the
constitution　of　man；　abstinence　may　enervate；　weaken；　and　kill。　And
there　are　many　other　ills；　different　from　those　of　repletion；　but　no
less　dreadful；　arising　from　deficiency　of　food；　wherefore　the　practice
in　those　cases　is　more　varied；　and　requires　greater　accuracy。　For
one　must　aim　at　attaining　a　certain　measure；　and　yet　this　measure
admits　neither　weight　nor　calculation　of　any　kind；　by　which　it　may
be　accurately　determined；　unless　it　be　the　sensation　of　the　body；
wherefore　it　is　a　task　to　learn　this　accurately；　so　as　not　to　commit
small　blunders　either　on　the　one　side　or　the　other；　and　in　fact　I
would　give　great　praise　to　the　physician　whose　mistakes　are　small；　for
perfect　accuracy　is　seldom　to　be　seen；　since　many　physicians　seem　to
me　to　be　in　the　same　plight　as　bad　pilots；　who；　if　they　commit
mistakes　while　conducting　the　ship　in　a　calm　do　not　expose　themselves；
but　when　a　storm　and　violent　hurricane　overtake　them；　they　then；
from　their　ignorance　and　mistakes；　are　discovered　to　be　what　they　are；
by　all　men；　namely；　in　losing　their　ship。　And　thus　bad　and　commonplace
physicians；　when　they　treat　men　who　have　no　serious　illness；　in
which　case　one　may　commit　great　mistakes　without　producing　any
formidable　mischief　（and　such　complaints　occur　much　more　frequently　to
men　than　dangerous　ones）：　under　these　circumstances；　when　they
commit　mistakes；　they　do　not　expose　themselves　to　ordinary　men；　but
when　they　fall　in　with　a　great；　a　strong；　and　a　dangerous　disease；
then　their　mistakes　and　want　of　skill　are　made　apparent　to　all。
Their　punishment　is　not　far　off；　but　is　swift　in　overtaking　both　the
one　and　the　other。
　　10。　And　that　no　less　mischief　happens　to　a　man　from　unseasonable
depletion　than　from　repletion；　may　be　clearly　seen　upon　reverting　to
the　consideration　of　persons　in　health。　For；　to　some；　with　whom　it
agrees　to　take　only　one　meal　in　the　day；　and　they　have　arranged　it
so　accordingly；　whilst　others；　for　the　same　reason；　also　take
dinner；　and　this　they　do　because　they　find　it　good　for　them；　and　not
like　those　persons　who；　for　pleasure　or　from　any　casual
circumstance；　adopt　the　one　or　the　other　custom　and　to　the　bulk　of
mankind　it　is　of　little　consequence　which　of　these　rules　they　observe；
that　is　to　say；　whether　they　make　it　a　practice　to　take　one　or　two
meals。　But　there　are　certain　persons　who　cannot　readily　change　their
diet　with　impunity；　and　if　they　make　any　alteration　in　it　for　one　day；
or　even　for　a　part　of　a　day；　are　greatly　injured　thereby。　Such
persons；　provided　they　take　dinner　when　it　is　not　their　wont；
immediately　become　heavy　and　inactive；　both　in　body　and　mind；　and
are　weighed　down　with　yawning；　slumbering；　and　thirst；　and　if　they
take　supper　in　addition；　they　are　seized　with　flatulence；　tormina；　and
diarrhea；　and　to　many　this　has　been　the　commencement　of　a　serious
disease；　when　they　have　merely　taken　twice　in　a　day　the　same　food
which　they　have　been　in　the　custom　of　taking　once。　And　thus；　also；
if　one　who　has　been　accustomed　to　dine；　and　this　rule　agrees　with　him；
should　not　dine　at　the　accustomed　hour；　he　will　straightway　feel　great
loss　of　strength；　trembling；　and　want　of　spirits；　the　eyes　of　such　a
person　will　become　more　pallid；　his　urine　thick　and　hot；　his　mouth
bitter；　his　bowels　will　seem；　as　it　were；　to　hang　loose；　he　will
suffer　from　vertigo；　lowness　of　spirit；　and　inactivity；…　such　are
the　effects；　and　if　he　should　attempt　to　take　at　supper　the　same
food　which　he　was　wont　to　partake　of　at　dinner；　it　will　appear
insipid；　and　he　will　not　be　able　to　take　it　off；　and　these　things；
passing　downwards　with　tormina　and　rumbling；　burn　up　his　bowels；　he
experiences　insomnolency　or　troubled　and　disturbed　dreams；　and　to　many
of　them　these　symptoms　are　the　commencement　of　some　disease。
　　11。　But　let　us　inquire　what　are　the　causes　of　these　things　which
happened　to　them。　To　him；　then；　who　was　accustomed　to　take　only　one
meal　in　the　day；　they　happened　because　he　did　not　wait　the　proper
time；　until　his　bowels　had　completely　derived　benefit　from　and　had
digested　the　articles　taken　at　the　preceding　meal；　and　until　his　belly
had　become　soft；　and　got　into　a　state　of　rest；　but　he　gave　it　a　new
supply　while　in　a　state　of　heat　and　fermentation；　for　such　bellies
digest　much　more　slowly；　and　require　more　rest　and　ease。　And　as　to　him
who　had　been　accustomed　to　dinner；　since；　as　soon　as　the　body　required
food；　and　when　the　fo