按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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 former meal was consumed； and he wanted
refreshment； no new supply was furnished to it； he wastes and is
consumed from want of food。 For all the symptoms which I describe as
befalling to this man I refer to want of food。 And I also say that all
men who； when in a state of health； remain for two or three days
without food； experience the same unpleasant symptoms as those which I
described in the case of him who had omitted to take dinner。
12。 Wherefore； I say； that such constitutions as suffer quickly
and strongly from errors in diet； are weaker than others that do
not； and that a weak person is in a state very nearly approaching to
one in disease； but a person in disease is the weaker； and it is；
therefore； more likely that he should suffer if he encounters anything
that is unseasonable。 It is difficult； seeing that there is no such
accuracy in the Art； to hit always upon what is most expedient； and
yet many cases occur in medicine which would require this accuracy； as
we shall explain。 But on that account； I say； we ought not to reject
the ancient Art； as if it were not； and had not been properly founded；
because it did not attain accuracy in all things； but rather； since it
is capable of reaching to the greatest exactitude by reasoning； to
receive it and admire its discoveries； made from a state of great
ignorance； and as having been well and properly made； and not from
chance。
13。 But I wish the discourse to revert to the new method of those
who prosecute their inquiries in the Art by hypothesis。 For if hot； or
cold； or moist； or dry； be that which proves injurious to man； and
if the person who would treat him properly must apply cold to the hot；
hot to the cold； moist to the dry； and dry to the moist… let me be
presented with a man； not indeed one of a strong constitution； but one
of the weaker； and let him eat wheat； such as it is supplied from
the thrashing…floor； raw and unprepared； with raw meat； and let him
drink water。 By using such a diet I know that he will suffer much
and severely； for he will experience pains； his body will become weak；
and his bowels deranged； and he will not subsist long。 What remedy；
then； is to be provided for one so situated？ Hot？ or cold？ or moist？
or dry？ For it is clear that it must be one or other of these。 For；
according to this principle； if it is one of the which is injuring the
patient； it is to be removed by its contrary。 But the surest and
most obvious remedy is to change the diet which the person used； and
instead of wheat to give bread； and instead of raw flesh； boiled；
and to drink wine in addition to these； for by making these changes it
is impossible but that he must get better； unless completely
disorganized by time and diet。 What； then； shall we say？ whether that；
as he suffered from cold； these hot things being applied were of use
to him； or the contrary？ I should think this question must prove a
puzzler to whomsoever it is put。 For whether did he who prepared bread
out of wheat remove the hot； the cold； the moist； or the dry principle
in it？… for the bread is consigned both to fire and to water； and is
wrought with many things； each of which has its peculiar property
and nature； some of which it loses； and with others it is diluted
and mixed。
14。 And this I know； moreover； that to the human body it makes a
great difference whether the bread be fine or coarse； of wheat with or
without the hull； whether mixed with much or little water； strongly
wrought or scarcely at all； baked or raw… and a multitude of similar
differences； and so； in like manner； with the cake （maza）； the
powers of each； too； are great； and the one nowise like the other。
Whoever pays no attention to these things； or； paying attention；
does not comprehend them； how can he understand the diseases which
befall a man？ For； by every one of these things； a man is affected and
changed this way or that； and the whole of his life is subjected to
them； whether in health； convalescence； or disease。 Nothing else；
then； can be more important or more necessary to know than these
things。 So that the first inventors； pursuing their investigations
properly； and by a suitable train of reasoning； according to the
nature of man； made their discoveries； and thought the Art worthy of
being ascribed to a god； as is the established belief。 For they did
not suppose that the dry or the moist； the hot or the cold； or any
of these are either injurious to man； or that man stands in need of
them； but whatever in each was strong； and more than a match for a
man's constitution； whatever he could not manage； that they held to be
hurtful； and sought to remove。 Now； of the sweet； the strongest is
that which is intensely sweet； of the bitter； that which is
intensely bitter； of the acid； that which is intensely acid； and of
all things that which is extreme； for these things they saw both
existing in man； and proving injurious to him。 For there is in man the
bitter and the salt； the sweet and the acid； the sour and the insipid；
and a multitude of other things having all