He who spends his time in business ought to consider whether, in the
former period of life, he had been in the habit of taking exercise, or
whether, though not taking exercise, he bears that habit well, and
escapes from diseases by having free perspiration. Such a state of body
is not to be suddenly changed to another habit, neither the mode of those
who have long been in ill health. But if constantly ill and plethoric,
the indication of cure ought to be by a healthful regimen, to supply
moderate nourishment; or, if cacochymy was the cause, the indication
will be to supply proper juices. Those who suffer from fulness are to be
directed when they go into the bath to use friction, and to take some
exercise, or, if they have already done so, to increase it a little, but
to detract from their food, and use less nutritious kinds than formerly;
but if from collections of bad humours, one indication of cure is not
sufficient, because there is more than one kind of bad humours; for some
have a collection of cold and pituitous, some of hot and bilious, and
others of the melancholic. Every one, therefore, ought to avoid those
articles of food and drink which are apt to engender that sort of humour
which is collected. And in all these cases the common remedy is purging
of the belly.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. This is taken from Oribasius (Synops. v, 29), who extracts it
from the ‘Commentaries’ of Galen. See also Rhases (Cont. xxxiii.) Galen
and Rhases remark that persons who lead an active life, such as ploughmen
and labourers, digest gross food more readily than any others; but that,
their bodies being wasted by excessive fatigue, the vessels take up the
chyle before it is properly concocted, and carry it over the system.
Hence, such persons seldom attain to an old age, as their bodies get
loaded with improper juices.