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on ancient medicine-第4部分

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yellow bile; what anxiety; burning heat; and loss of strength prevail!
but if relieved from it; either by being purged spontaneously; or by
means of a medicine seasonably administered; the patient is
decidedly relieved of the pains and heat; but while these things float
on the stomach; unconcocted and undigested; no contrivance could
make the pains and fever cease; and when there are acidities of an
acrid and aeruginous character; what varieties of frenzy; gnawing
pains in the bowels and chest; and inquietude; prevail! and these do
not cease until the acidities be purged away; or are calmed down and
mixed with other fluids。 The coction; change; attenuation; and
thickening into the form of humors; take place through many and
various forms; therefore the crises and calculations of time are of
great importance in such matters; but to all such changes hot and cold
are but little exposed; for these are neither liable to putrefaction
nor thickening。 What then shall we say of the change? that it is a
combination (crasis) of these humors having different powers toward
one another。 But the hot does not loose its heat when mixed with any
other thing except the cold; nor again; the cold; except when mixed
with the hot。 But all other things connected with man become the
more mild and better in proportion as they are mixed with the more
things besides。 But a man is in the best possible state when they
are concocted and at rest; exhibiting no one peculiar quality; but I
think I have said enough in explanation of them。
  20。 Certain sophists and physicians say that it is not possible
for any one to know medicine who does not know what man is 'and how he
was made and how constructed'; and that whoever would cure men
properly; must learn this in the first place。 But this saying rather
appertains to philosophy; as Empedocles and certain others have
described what man in his origin is; and how he first was made and
constructed。 But I think whatever such has been said or written by
sophist or physician concerning nature has less connection with the
art of medicine than with the art of painting。 And I think that one
cannot know anything certain respecting nature from any other
quarter than from medicine; and that this knowledge is to be
attained when one comprehends the whole subject of medicine
properly; but not until then; and I say that this history shows what
man is; by what causes he was made; and other things accurately。
Wherefore it appears to me necessary to every physician to be
skilled in nature; and strive to know; if he would wish to perform his
duties; what man is in relation to the articles of food and drink; and
to his other occupations; and what are the effects of each of them
to every one。 And it is not enough to know simply that cheese is a bad
article of food; as disagreeing with whoever eats of it to satiety;
but what sort of disturbance it creates; and wherefore; and with
what principle in man it disagrees; for there are many other
articles of food and drink naturally bad which affect man in a
different manner。 Thus; to illustrate my meaning by an example;
undiluted wine drunk in large quantity renders a man feeble; and
everybody seeing this knows that such is the power of wine; and the
cause thereof; and we know; moreover; on what parts of a man's body it
principally exerts its action; and I wish the same certainty to appear
in other cases。 For cheese (since we used it as an example) does not
prove equally injurious to all men; for there are some who can take it
to satiety without being hurt by it in the least; but; on the
contrary; it is wonderful what strength it imparts to those it
agrees with; but there are some who do not bear it well; their
constitutions are different; and they differ in this respect; that
what in their body is incompatible with cheese; is roused and put in
commotion by such a thing; and those in whose bodies such a humor
happens to prevail in greater quantity and intensity; are likely to
suffer the more from it。 But if the thing had been pernicious to of
man; it would have hurt all。 Whoever knows these things will not
suffer from it。
  21。 During convalescence from diseases; and also in protracted
diseases; many disorders occur; some spontaneously; and some from
certain things accidentally administered。 I know that the common
herd of physicians; like the vulgar; if there happen to have been
any innovation made about that day; such as the bath being used; a
walk taken; or any unusual food eaten; all which were better done than
otherwise; attribute notwithstanding the cause of these disorders;
to some of these things; being ignorant of the true cause but
proscribing what may have been very proper。 Now this ought not to be
so; but one should know the effects of a bath or a walk unseasonably
applied; for thus there will never be any mischief from these
things; nor from any other thing; nor from repletion; nor from such
and such an article of food。 Whoever does not know what effect these
things produce upon a man; cannot know the consequences which result
from them; nor how to apply them。
  22。 And it appears to me that one ought also to know what diseases
arise in man from the powers; and what from the structures。 What do
I mean by this? By powers; I mean intense and strong juices; and by
structures; whatever conformations there are in man。 For some are
hollow; and from broad contracted into narrow; some expanded; some
hard and round; some broad and suspended; some stretched; some long;
some dense; some rare and succulent; some spongy and of loose texture。
Now; then; which of these figures is the best calculated to suck to
itself and attract humidity from another body? Whether what is
hollow and expanded; or what is solid and round; or what is hollow;
and from broad; gradually turning narrow? I think such as from
hollow and broad are contracted into narrow: this may be ascertained
otherwise from obvious facts: thus; if you gape wide with the mouth
you cannot draw in any liquid; but by protruding; contracting; and
compressing the lips; and still more by using a tube; you can
readily draw in whatever you wish。 And thus; too; the instruments
which are used for cupping are broad below and gradually become
narrow; and are so constructed in order to suck and draw in from the
fleshy parts。 The nature and construction of the parts within a man
are of a like nature; the bladder; the head; the uterus in woman;
these parts clearly attract; and are always filled with a juice
which is foreign to them。 Those parts which are hollow and expanded
are most likely to receive any humidity flowing into them; but
cannot attract it in like manner。 Those parts which are solid and
round could not attract a humidity; nor receive it when it flows to
them; for it would glide past; and find no place of rest on them。
But spongy and rare parts; such as the spleen; the lungs; and the
breasts; drink up especially the juices around them; and become
hardened and enlarged by the accession of juices。 Such things happen
to these organs especially。 For it is not with the spleen as with
the stomach; in which there is a liquid; which it contains and
evacuates every day; but when it (the spleen) drinks up and receives a
fluid into itself; the hollow and lax parts of it are filled; even the
small interstices; and; instead of being rare and soft; it becomes
hard and dense; and it can neither digest nor discharge its
contents: these things it suffers; owing to the nature of its
structure。 Those things which engender flatulence or tormina in the
body; naturally do so in the hollow and broad parts of the body;
such as the stomach and chest; where they produce rumbling noises; for
when they do not fill the parts so as to be stationary; but have
changes of place and movements; there must necessarily be noise and
apparent movements from them。 But such parts as are fleshy and soft;
in these there occur torpor and obstructions; such as happen in
apoplexy。 But when it (the flatus?) encounters a broad and resisting
structure; and rushes against such a part; and this happens when it is
by nature not strong so as to be able to withstand it without
suffering injury; nor soft and rare; so as to receive or yield to
it; but tender; juicy; full of blood; and dense; like the liver; owing
to its density and broadness; it resists and does not yield。 But
flatus; when it obtains admission; increases and becomes stronger; and
rushes toward any resisting object; but owing to its tenderness; and
the quantity of blood which it (the liver) contains; it cannot be
without uneasiness; and for these reasons the most acute and
frequent pains occur in the region of it; along with suppurations
and chronic tumors (phymata)。 These symptoms also occur in the site of
the diaphragm; but much less frequently; for the diaphragm is a broad;
expanded; and resisting substance; of a nervous (tendinous?) and
strong nature; and therefore less susceptible of pain; and yet pains
and chronic abscesses do occur about it。
  23。 There are both within and without the body many other kinds of
structure; which differ much from one another as to sufferings both in
health and disease; such as whether the head be small or large; the
neck slender or thick; long or short; the belly long or round; the
chest and ribs broad or narrow; and many others besides; all which you
ought to be acquainted with; and their differences; so that knowing
the causes of each; you may make the more accurate observations。
  24。 And; as has been formerly stated; one ought to be acquainted
with the powers of juices; and what action each of them has upon
man; and their alliances towards one another。 What I say is this: if a
sweet juice change to another kind; not from any admixture; but
because it has undergone a mutation within itself; what does it
first become?… bitter? salt? austere? or acid? I think acid。 And
hence; an acid juice is the most improper of all things that can be
administered in cases in which a sweet juice is the most proper。 Thus;
if one should succeed in his investigations of external things; he
would be the better able always to select the best; for that is best
which is farthe
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