Chapter X: Preface (2)

A vomit is more useful in the winter than summer, because in that season there is more phlegm, and a greater heaviness in the head. It does no good to those, that are slender, and have a weak stomach; but it is useful to those, that are of a full habit, and all bilious people, if they have either overloaded themselves, or their concoction has been impaired: for if they have taken a greater quantity than can be concocted, they ought not to run the risk of its corrupting; or if it is already corrupted, nothing is more proper than to have it expelled in the most expeditious way possible. For this reason, whenever they are attacked with bitter eructations, attended with pain and weight of the præcordia, they must immediately have recourse to this remedy. It is likewise proper for one, who has a scorching heat in the breast, and a frequent spitting or a nausea, or for one who has noise in his ears, or a humour in the eyes, or a bitterness in the mouth; as also for one, who changes either his air or situation, and to those, who are troubled with a pain of the præcordia, if they have not vomited for several days. I am sensible, that in these cases rest is prescribed, which cannot always be had by those, who are under a necessity of stirring about; nor indeed has it the same effect in every body. I grant then, that vomits should not be taken with a view of indulging the luxurious appetite: that they are sometimes useful remedies, I believe upon the credit of experience; but I would advise any, who wishes to be healthy, and live to old age, not to make a daily practice of it. When one chuses to vomit after meat, if he does it easily, he should first drink only warm water; if with difficulty, let him add a little salt or honey to the water; but he, that intends to vomit in the morning, should first drink mulse(24), or eat hyssop(25), or radish, and then drink warm water, as has been directed already. All the other things which the ancient physicians prescribed, are hurtful to the stomach. If it is weak after the vomit, a little food is to be taken, but of a proper kind; and if the fauces have been much irritated, three cyathi of cold water may be drunk. He, that has vomited, if it was in the morning, ought to take a walk, then anoint, afterwards sup; but if after supper, on the following day he should bathe, and sweat in the bagnio; he will do well to make the next meal slight, and the bread he uses at it should be stale, wine austere and unmixed, the flesh roasted, and all the food of the driest kind. He that chuses to vomit twice in the month, will find it answer the purpose better, if he do it for two days successively, than if he were to repeat it on the fifteenth day, unless such an intermission should cause a weight at his breast.

[Sidenote: _Of purging._]

When the belly is costive, so as to evacuate very sparingly, and from that cause flatulencies, dimness of sight, pains of the head, and other disorders of the superior parts, grow troublesome, then ’tis fit to take a purge: for what assistance can rest or abstinence afford in these disorders, of which they are the principal causes? He that wants to be lax, let him first use such food and wine as produce that effect: and if they don’t succeed, let him take aloes. But purging, though it be sometimes necessary, yet, when it is frequent, becomes dangerous; for thus the body will be habitually deprived of its nourishment, and by that means become valetudinary, for a body in a weak state is the most liable to all kinds of distempers.

[Sidenote: _What heats and cools the body._]

The body is heated by unction, salt water, and more so if it be warm; all salt provisions, and austere wine. On the contrary, it is cooled by bitter and fleshy substances, taken with an empty stomach; the bath after meals, and sleep, unless it be too long, and all acids; the coldest water; oil, if it be mixed with water; and lotus(26).

[Sidenote: _What moistens and dries the body._]

The body is rendered humid(27) by less exercise than ordinary, frequent bathing, a full diet, much drink, a walk after it, and continuing awake. Walking long, and briskly, has of itself the same tendency; and morning exercise, if one does not eat presently after it; and those kinds of food, which come from cold climates, or rainy, or otherwise damp. On the contrary, dryness is caused by immoderate exercise, hunger, unction, heat without moisture, immoderate use of salt, cold water, and the taking of food immediately after exercise, and such particularly as comes from dry and hot climates.

[Sidenote: _What binds and relaxes the belly._]

The belly is bound by labour, sitting still, rubbing potter’s chalk upon the body, and by diminishing the usual quantity of food, as also if it be taken but once a day by one who is accustomed to it twice; by drinking little, and not till one has eat as much, as he designs for the time; rest after meat. On the other hand, the belly is relaxed by an increase of walking and food, motion after meat, and drinking frequently in the time of meals. ’Tis necessary also to know this that a loose belly is bound by a vomit, and a costive one is loosened by the same: and a vomit immediately after meat binds it; but one that comes some time after, renders it lax.

[Sidenote: _Of the different ages_.]

As to the different ages, people in middle life bear want of food most easily; young men not so well; least of all boys, and very old men. The more uneasiness one finds from it, he ought to take victuals the oftener; and that frequency is more especially necessary for one, that is growing. Warm bathing is fit both for boys and old men. Wine should be given to boys more diluted, to old men less; but such as occasions flatulencies, to neither of them. It is of less consequence what victuals young men eat, and how dressed. Those that are loose in the belly while young, for the most part are costive when they grow old; such as are costive, in their youth, are often loose in old age. It is best for a young man to have a lax belly, and for an old man to be bound.

[Sidenote: _Of the seasons. Winter._]

It is necessary also to consider the seasons of the year. It is proper to eat more in the winter; to take a smaller quantity of drink, but less diluted; to make much use of bread, and flesh rather boiled _than roasted_, and greens sparingly; to take food once a day, unless the belly be too much bound. If one dines, it is better to take some trifling thing, and that dry, without flesh, and without drink. In that season of the year, all warm things, or such as promote heat, are best. Nor is venery altogether so hurtful then, as at some other times.

[Sidenote: _Spring._]

But in the spring the quantity of food is to be lessened, and the drink increased, but more diluted; more use is to be made of flesh and greens, and there must be a gradual change from boiled to roast flesh. Venery is most safe in that season of the year.

[Sidenote: _Summer._]

But in summer the body requires meat and drink more frequently; therefore it is convenient to take a dinner. Flesh and greens are most proper in that season; drink very much diluted, that it may at once remove thirst, and not inflame the body; bathing in cold water; roast flesh, cold food, or such as is cooling. As food must be often taken, so it must be in small quantities.

[Sidenote: _Autumn._]

Now in autumn there is the greatest danger, upon account of the frequent changes of the air. And for this reason one should never go abroad, especially in the colder days, without warm cloaths and shoes, nor sleep in the air in the night-time, or at least be well covered. At this time the diet may be something more full, the drink less, but stronger. Some imagine apples(28) to be hurtful, which for the most part are eaten immoderately through the whole day, while no abatement is made from the more substantial food. Thus the mischief does not proceed from them, but from the aggregate of all that is taken; for none of them contribute less to it than these. But it is not fit to use them oftener than the other kinds. Lastly, it is necessary when an addition is made in this article, to lessen the quantity of the stronger food. Venery is neither good in the summer, nor in autumn; but is less hurtful in autumn; in summer, if possible, there ought to be a total abstinence from it.

CHAP. IV.

RULES FOR THOSE THAT HAVE A WEAKNESS IN THE HEAD.

Our next business is to consider the cases of those, who have a weakness in any particular part of the body. He, that has a weakness in his head, if he has concocted well, ought to rub it gently with his hands in the morning; and never, if he can avoid it, put any covering upon it, or clip the hair close to the skin; it is proper for him to avoid exposing it to the moon, and more especially before her conjunction with the sun, but never to go out after meat: if he have his hair, to comb it every day; to walk much, but if he can, neither under a roof, nor in the sun; and also to avoid the scorching heat of the sun, particularly after meat or wine. He should rather anoint than bathe, and the unction should be performed, never before a flame, sometimes at a glowing red fire. If he come to the bath, he ought first to wrap himself up, and sweat a little in the tepidarium, anoint there, and then go into the calidarium; when he has sweat, not to go into the bath, but to pour hot water over his head, so that it may run over all his body, then tepid water in the same manner, and lastly cold; and the last longer upon his head than the other parts; after which to rub it for some time; lastly, to dry and anoint. Nothing is so beneficial to the head as cold water; for this reason, he that has a weak head, should every day in the summer hold it for some time under a pretty strong stream. And though he has anointed without going into the bath, and is not able to bear dipping in cold water, nevertheless he should always pour cold water upon his head. But when he is unwilling to have the other parts of his body touched, he must bend his head forward, so that the water may not fall down into his neck; and that it may not offend his eyes, or any other part, he is to throw it back now and then with his hands, as it runs down. It is necessary for him to use a spare diet, which is easily concocted; and if he finds his head uneasy, when his stomach is empty, he must eat in the middle of the day; if fasting does not injure it, once a day is more eligible. Mild diluted wine is more proper for his common drink than water, that when his head grows worse, he may have some refuge left; and it is neither fit for him to drink wine always, nor water; each of them is a remedy, when used alternately. He must neither write nor read, nor speak with vehemence, especially after supper; at which time neither is thinking very safe for him; but above all things a vomit is hurtful.

CHAP. V.

DIRECTIONS FOR THOSE THAT LABOUR UNDER A LIPPITUDE, GRAVEDO, CATARRH, AND DISORDERS OF THE TONSILS.

Nor is the use of cold water beneficial to those only, who are distressed with a weakness in their head; but also to such as are troubled with constant lippitudes, or gravedoes, catarrhs, and disorders in their tonsils. Such people must not only pour cold water upon their head every day, but also wash their mouth with a large quantity of it; and all, that find relief from this practice, must especially make use of it, when the air has been rendered unwholesome by southerly winds. And as all strong attention or fatigue of mind after meat is hurtful to every body, so it is more particularly to those, who are liable to pains in their head, or windpipe, or any other disorders in their mouth. A person subject to gravedoes and catarrhs, may avoid these disorders by changing his air, place, or water, as little as possible; and by covering his head in the sun, so as it may neither be overheated, nor suffer by cold from the sudden intervention of a cloud; by shaving his head with an empty stomach after concoction, and neither reading nor writing after meat.

CHAP. VI.

THE PROPER REGIMEN FOR PEOPLE LIABLE TO A PURGING.

He, that is frequently troubled with a purging, ought to exercise his upper parts by the ball, and such like motions; to walk, while his stomach is empty; to avoid too great heat from the sun, and constant bathing; to anoint without sweating. He should not use a variety of food, and by no means meat stewed into broth, or vegetables of the leguminous kind, or those greens that pass quickly through the body; in fine, to take all such things as are slowly concocted. Venison, hard fish, and the roasted flesh of tame animals, are very proper. It is never fit to drink salt wine(29), nor even the weak, nor sweet wine, but the austere, of a strong body, and not over old. If he chuses mulse, it must be prepared with boiled honey. If cold drinks don’t disturb his belly, he must use them principally. If any thing has disagreed with him at supper, he ought to vomit, and to repeat it the day following; on the third day to eat a small quantity of bread dipped in wine, or eggs fried in oil, or in defrutum(30), and things of a like nature: after that to return to his usual diet. After meat always to rest, and neither apply his thoughts to any subject closely, nor give himself a shock by walking however gently.

CHAP. VII.

RULES FOR THOSE THAT ARE LIABLE TO A PAIN OF THE COLON.

But if the large intestine, which is called colon[AE], is often pained, since that disorder is nothing else but a kind of flatulence, the intention to be pursued is, that concoction may be duly performed; the patient must practise reading, and other exercises, make use of the hot bath, and take his food and drink hot; lastly, let him avoid cold by all means, every thing that is sweet, and leguminous vegetables, and whatever generally causes flatulencies.

[AE] κόλον.

CHAP. VIII.

RULES FOR ONE THAT HAS A WEAK STOMACH.

A man, whose stomach is infirm, ought to read aloud, after reading to walk, then to exercise himself with the ball or arms, or any other kind, which agitates the superior parts; upon an empty stomach, not to drink water, but hot wine; to take food twice a day, but in such quantity, as he can easily concoct; to make use of small and austere wine, and to take his drink after meat rather cold. The indications of a weak stomach are paleness, leanness, pain in the præcordia, nausea, involuntary vomiting, a pain of the head, when the stomach is empty: where these signs are not found, the stomach is strong. And we are not to believe our countrymen, who, when they are indisposed, and have a strong inclination for wine or cold water, defend their luxury by pretending the stomach does not do its office. But those that concoct slowly, and whose præcordia on that account are inflated, or who, by reason of any heat, are accustomed to be thirsty in the night-time, before going to rest may drink two or three cyathi of wine through a small pipe. It is good also against a slow concoction to read aloud, then to walk, afterwards to anoint or bathe, to drink always cold wine, and after meat to drink largely, but in the way I mentioned already by a siphon: lastly, to conclude all the drinks with cold water. He, whose food grows sour in his stomach, before he eats, should drink egelid water, and vomit. But if the use of this should occasion a looseness, whenever he is relieved of that complaint, he should by all means make use of cold drinks.

CHAP. IX.

DIRECTIONS FOR THOSE THAT ARE LIABLE TO PAINS OF THE NERVES.

He that is subject to pains in the nerves, as is common in the gout of the hands or feet, ought as much as possible to exercise the part affected, and expose it to labour and cold; unless the pain has become violent, in which case rest is best. Venery is always hurtful. Concoction is necessary, as well in this, as in all disorders of the body: for crudity injures it more than any thing; and whenever the body is out of order, the diseased part feels it most sensibly. As concoction is an adversary to all diseases, so some again are relieved by cold, and others by heat. Either of which every one ought to procure, according to the habit of his body. Cold is hurtful to an old or slender man, to a wound, to the præcordia, intestines, bladder, ears, hips, shoulders, private parts, teeth, bones, nerves, womb, and brain. It also renders the surface of the skin pale, dry, hard, and black. From this proceed shudderings and tremours. But it is beneficial to young people, and all that are of a full habit. The mind also is more brisk, and the concoction goes on better, when ’tis cold, if due care is taken to guard against it. Cold water poured on, besides being useful to the head, does good to the stomach. It is likewise of service to the joints, and pains, which are not attended with ulcers; also to persons, that are too ruddy, if they be free from pain. Heat helps whatever cold hurts; and those too that have blear eyes, if they have neither pain nor an effusion of tears; also contracted nerves, and especially those ulcers which arise from cold. It causes a good colour in the body, and promotes the excretion of urine. In too great a degree, it enervates the body, softens the nerves, and relaxes the stomach. But neither cold nor heat is by any means safe, coming suddenly upon persons unaccustomed to it; for cold occasions pains in the sides, and other disorders, and cold water causes scrophulous swellings; heat hinders concoction, prevents sleep, wastes by sweat, and renders the body obnoxious to pestilential distempers.

CHAP. X.

DIRECTIONS IN A PESTILENCE.

There are some rules necessary to be observed in a pestilence by a man, who continues in good health, but cannot however be secure. At that time it is proper to take journies and to sail. When that can’t be done, to use gestation, gentle walking in the open air before the heat of the day, and unction with the same moderation; and as has been directed above, to avoid fatigue, crudity, cold, heat, and venery, and confine himself to a strict regimen. If he feel any heaviness hanging about his body, then he is neither to rise in the morning, nor walk barefooted at any time, much less after meat or the bath; nor to vomit either with an empty stomach, or after supper: neither should the belly be purged; and if it grow loose of itself, it must be restrained. Abstinence should rather be observed, if the body is plethoric. Also it is proper to avoid the bath, sweating, sleeping in the middle of the day, especially after meat; which by the way, it is more convenient to take once a day, and that sparingly, lest it should occasion crudity: every other day to drink alternately water and wine. These rules being carefully observed, as little alteration as possible should be made in the usual course of life. And as they are to be practised in every pestilence, so principally in that, which is occasioned by southerly winds. And the very same precautions are necessary for those that take journies, when they have set out from home in a sickly season of the year, or have come into sickly countries. But if the nature of any engagements should prevent the observance of the other rules, yet it will be necessary to live abstemiously; and thus to change from wine to water, and from that to wine again, in the manner that has been prescribed above.

A. CORNELIUS CELSUS

OF

MEDICINE.

_BOOK II._