on regimen in acute diseases-第3章

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！


the　veins　before　doing　so；　or　on　the　third；　fourth；　fifth；　sixth；　or
seventh　day；　provided　the　disease　has　not　previously　come　to　a
crisis　in　the　course　of　this　time）；　and　similar　preparations　to
those　formerly　described　are　to　be　made　in　those　cases。
　　8。　Such　are　the　opinions　which　I　entertain　respecting　the
administering　of　the　ptisan；　and；　as　regards　drinks；　whichsoever　of
those　about　to　be　described　may　be　administered；　the　same　directions
are　generally　applicable。　And　here　I　know　that　physicians　are　in　the
practice　of　doing　the　very　reverse　of　what　is　proper；　for　they　all
wish；　at　the　commencement　of　diseases；　to　starve　their　patients　for
two；　three；　or　more　days；　and　then　to　administer　the　ptisans　and
drinks；　and　perhaps　it　appears　to　them　reasonable　that；　as　a　great
change　has　taken　place　in　the　body；　it　should　be　counteracted　by
another　great　change。　Now；　indeed；　to　produce　a　change　is　no　small
matter；　but　the　change　must　be　effected　well　and　cautiously；　and　after
the　change　the　administration　of　food　must　be　conducted　still　more　so。
Those　persons；　then；　would　be　most　injured　if　the　change　is　not
properly　managed；　who　used　unstrained　ptisans；　they　also　would
suffer　who　made　use　of　the　juice　alone；　and　so　also　they　would
suffer　who　took　merely　drink；　but　these　least　of　all。
　　9。　One　may　derive　information　from　the　regimen　of　persons　in　good
health　what　things　are　proper；　for　if　it　appear　that　there　is　a
great　difference　whether　the　diet　be　so　and　so；　in　other　respects；　but
more　especially　in　the　changes；　how　can　it　be　otherwise　in　diseases；
and　more　especially　in　the　most　acute？　But　it　is　well　ascertained　that
even　a　faulty　diet　of　food　and　drink　steadily　persevered　in；　is
safer　in　the　main　as　regards　health　than　if　one　suddenly　change　it
to　another。　Wherefore；　in　the　case　of　persons　who　take　two　meals　in
the　day；　or　of　those　who　take　a　single　meal；　sudden　changes　induce
suffering　and　weakness；　and　thus　persons　who　have　not　been
accustomed　to　dine；　if　they　shall　take　dinner；　immediately　become
weak；　have　heaviness　over　their　whole　body；　and　become　feeble　and
languid；　and　if；　in　addition；　they　take　supper；　they　will　have　acid
eructations；　and　some　will　have　diarrhoea　whose　bowels　were　previously
dry；　and　not　having　been　accustomed　to　be　twice　swelled　out　with
food　and　to　digest　it　twice　a　day；　have　been　loaded　beyond　their　wont。
It　is　beneficial；　in　such　cases；　to　counterbalance　this　change；　for
one　should　sleep　after　dinner；　as　if　passing　the　night；　and　guard
against　cold　in　winter　and　heat　in　summer；　or；　if　the　person　cannot
sleep；　he　may　stroll　about　slowly；　but　without　making　stops；　for　a
good　while；　take　no　supper；　or；　at　all　events；　eat　little；　and　only
things　that　are　not　unwholesome；　and　still　more　avoid　drink；　and
especially　water。　Such　a　person　will　suffer　still　more　if　he　take
three　full　meals　in　the　day；　and　more　still　if　he　take　more　meals；　and
yet　there　are　many　persons　who　readily　bear　to　take　three　full　meals
in　the　day；　provided　they　are　so　accustomed。　And；　moreover；　those
who　have　been　in　the　habit　of　eating　twice　a　day；　if　they　omit　dinner；
become　feeble　and　powerless；　averse　to　all　work；　and　have　heartburn；
their　bowels　seem；　as　it　were；　to　hang　loose；　their　urine　is　hot　and
green；　and　the　excrement　is　parched；　in　some　the　mouth　is　bitter；
the　eyes　are　hollow；　the　temples　throb；　and　the　extremities　are
cold；　and　the　most　of　those　who　have　thus　missed　their　dinner　cannot
eat　supper；　or；　if　they　do　sup；　they　load　their　stomach；　and　pass　a
much　worse　night　than　if　they　had　previously　taken　dinner。　Since；
then；　an　unwonted　change　of　diet　for　half　a　day　produces　such
effects　upon　persons　in　health；　it　appears　not　to　be　a　good　thing
either　to　add　or　take　from。　If；　then；　he　who　was　restricted　to　a
single　meal；　contrary　to　usage；　having　his　veins　thus　left　empty
during　a　whole　day；　when　he　supped　according　to　custom　felt　heavy；
it　is　probable　that　if；　because　he　was　uneasy　and　weak　from　the　want
of　dinner；　he　took　a　larger　supper　than　wont；　he　would　be　still　more
oppressed；　or　if；　wanting　food　for　a　still　greater　interval；　he
suddenly　took　a　meal　after　supper；　he　will　feel　still　greater
oppression。　He；　then；　who；　contrary　to　usage；　has　had　his　veins　kept
empty　by　want　of　food；　will　find　it　beneficial　to　counteract　the　bad
effects　during　that　day　as　follows：　let　him　avoid　cold；　heat；　and
exertion；　for　he　could　bear　all　these　ill；　let　him　make　his　supper
considerably　less　than　usual；　and　not　of　dry　food；　but　rather
liquid；　and　let　him　take　some　drink；　not　of　a　watery　character；　nor　in
smaller　quantity　than　is　proportionate　to　the　food；　and　on　the　next
day　he　should　take　a　small　dinner；　so　that；　by　degrees；　he　may
return　to　his　former　practice。　Persons　who　are　bilious　in　the
stomach　bear　these　changes　worst；　while　those　who　are　pituitous；
upon　the　whole；　bear　the　want　of　food　best；　so　that　they　suffer　the
least　from　being　restricted　to　one　meal　in　the　day；　contrary　to　usage。
This；　then；　is　a　sufficient　proof　that　the　greatest　changes　as　to
those　things　which　regard　our　constitutions　and　habits　are　most
especially　concerned　in　the　production　of　diseases；　for　it　is
impossible　to　produce　unseasonably　a　great　emptying　of　the　vessels
by　abstinence；　or　to　administer　food　while　diseases　are　at　their　acme；
or　when　inflammation　prevails；　nor；　on　the　on　the　whole；　to　make　a
great　change　either　one　way　or　another　with　impunity。
　　10。　One　might　mention　many　things　akin　to　these　respecting　the
stomach　and　bowels；　to　show　how　people　readily　bear　such　food　as
they　are　accustomed　to；　even　if　it　is　not　naturally　good；　and　drink　in
like　manner；　and　how　they　bear　unpleasantly　such　food　as　they　are
not　accustomed　to；　even　although　not　bad；　and　so　in　like　manner　with
drink；　and　as　to　the　effects　of　eating　much　flesh；　contrary　to
usage；　or　garlic；　or　asafoetida；　or　the　stem　of　the　plant　which
produces　it；　or　things　of　a　similar　kind　possessed　of　strong
properties；　one　would　be　less　surprised　if　such　things　produce　pains
in　the　bowels；　but　rather　when　one　learned　what　trouble；　swelling；
flatulence；　and　tormina　the　cake　（maza）　will　raise　in　the　belly　when
eaten　by　a　person　not　accustomed　to　it；　and　how　much　weight　and
distention　of　the　bowels　bread　will　create　to　a　person　accustomed　to
live　upon　the　maza；　and　what　thirst　and　sudden　fullness　will　be
occasioned　by　eating　hot　bread；　owing　to　its　desiccant　and
indigestible　properties；　and　what　different　effects　are　produced　by
fine　and　coarse　bread　when　eaten　contrary　to　usage；　or　by　the　cake
when　usually　dry；　moist；　or　viscid；　and　what　different　effects　polenta
produces　upon　those　who　are　accustomed　and　those　who　are
unaccustomed　to　the　use　of　it；　or　drinking　of　wine　or　drinking　of
water；　when　either　custom　is　suddenly　exchanged　for　the　other；　or
when；　contrary　to　usage；　diluted　wine　or　undiluted　has　been　suddenly
drunk；　for　the　one　will　create　water…brash　in　the　upper　part　of　the
intestinal　canal　and　flatulence　in　the　lower；　while　the　other　will
give　rise　to　throbbing　of　the　arteries；　heaviness　of　the　head；　and
thirst；　and　white　and　dark…colored　wine；　although　both　strong　wines；
if　exchanged　contrary　to　usage；　will　produce　very　different　effects
upon　the　body；　so　that　one　need　the　less　wonder　that　a　sweet　and
strong　wine；　if　suddenly　exchanged；　should　have　by　no　means　the　same
effect。
　　11。　Let　us　here　briefly　advert　to　what　may　be　said　on　the　opposite
side；　namely；　that　a　change　of　diet　has　occurred　in　these　cases；
without　any　change　in　their　body；　either　as　to　strength；　so　as　to
require　an　increase　of　food；　or　as　to　weakness；　so　as　to　require　a
diminution。　But　the　strength　of　the　patient　is　to　be　taken　into
consideration；　and　the　manner　of　the　disease；　and　of　the
constitution　of　the　man；　and　the　habitual　regimen　of　the　patient；
not　only　as　regards　food　but　also　drink。　Yet　one　must　much　less　resort
to　augmentation；　since　it　is　often　beneficial　to　have　recourse　to
abstraction；　when　the　patient　can　bear　it；　until　the　disease　having
reached　its　acme　and　has　become　concocted。　But　in　what　cases　this　must
be　done　will　be　afterwards　described。　One　might　write　many　other
things　a