第 3 节
作者:北方网      更新:2022-08-21 16:42      字数:9322
  then on the following day bring it into a warm situation where the ice
  will thaw; if you will measure the water again when dissolved you will
  find it much less in quantity。 This is a proof that the lightest and
  thinnest part is dissipated and dried up by the congelation; and not
  the heaviest and thickest; for that is impossible: wherefore I hold
  that waters from snow and ice; and those allied to them; are the worst
  of any for all purposes whatever。 Such are the characters of
  rain…water; and those from ice and snow。
  9。 Men become affected with the stone; and are seized with
  diseases of the kidneys; strangury; sciatica; and become ruptured;
  when they drink all sorts of waters; and those from great rivers
  into which other rivulets run; or from a lake into which many
  streams of all sorts flow; and such as are brought from a considerable
  distance。 For it is impossible that such waters can resemble one
  another; but one kind is sweet; another saltish and aluminous; and
  some flow from thermal springs; and these being all mixed up
  together disagree; and the strongest part always prevails; but the
  same kind is not always the strongest; but sometimes one and sometimes
  another; according to the winds; for the north wind imparts strength
  to this water; and the south to that; and so also with regard to the
  others。 There must be deposits of mud and sand in the vessels from
  such waters; and the aforesaid diseases must be engendered by them
  when drunk; but why not to all I will now explain。 When the bowels are
  loose and in a healthy state; and when the bladder is not hot; nor the
  neck of the bladder very contracted; all such persons pass water
  freely; and no concretion forms in the bladder; but those in whom
  the belly is hot; the bladder must be in the same condition; and
  when preternaturally heated; its neck becomes inflamed; and when these
  things happen; the bladder does not expel the urine; but raises its
  heat excessively。 And the thinnest part of it is secreted; and the
  purest part is passed off in the form of urine; but the thickest and
  most turbid part is condensed and concreted; at first in small
  quantity; but afterwards in greater; for being rolled about in the
  urine; whatever is of a thick consistence it assimilates to itself;
  and thus it increases and becomes indurated。 And when such persons
  make water; the stone forced down by the urine falls into the neck
  of the bladder and stops the urine; and occasions intense pain; so
  that calculous children rub their privy parts and tear at them; as
  supposing that the obstruction to the urine is situated there。 As a
  proof that it is as I say; persons affected with calculus have very
  limpid urine; because the thickest and foulest part remains and is
  concreted。 Thus it generally is in cases of calculus。 It forms also in
  children from milk; when it is not wholesome; but very hot and
  bilious; for it heats the bowels and bladder; so that the urine
  being also heated undergoes the same change。 And I hold that it is
  better to give children only the most diluted wine; for such will
  least burn up and dry the veins。 Calculi do not form so readily in
  women; for in them the urethra is short and wide; so that in them
  the urine is easily expelled; neither do they rub the pudendum with
  their hands; nor handle the passage like males; for the urethra in
  women opens direct into the pudendum; which is not the case with
  men; neither in them is the urethra so wide; and they drink more
  than children do。 Thus; or nearly so; is it with regard to them。
  10。 And respecting the seasons; one may judge whether the year
  will prove sickly or healthy from the following observations:… If
  the appearances connected with the rising and setting stars be as they
  should be; if there be rains in autumn; if the winter be mild; neither
  very tepid nor unseasonably cold; and if in spring the rains be
  seasonable; and so also in summer; the year is likely to prove
  healthy。 But if the winter be dry and northerly; and the spring
  showery and southerly; the summer will necessarily be of a febrile
  character; and give rise to ophthalmies and dysenteries。 For when
  suffocating heat sets in all of a sudden; while the earth is moistened
  by the vernal showers; and by the south wind; the heat is
  necessarily doubled from the earth; which is thus soaked by rain and
  heated by a burning sun; while; at the same time; men's bellies are
  not in an orderly state; nor the brain properly dried; for it is
  impossible; after such a spring; but that the body and its flesh
  must be loaded with humors; so that very acute fevers will attack all;
  but especially those of a phlegmatic constitution。 Dysenteries are
  also likely to occur to women and those of a very humid temperament。
  And if at the rising of the Dogstar rain and wintery storms supervene;
  and if the etesian winds blow; there is reason to hope that these
  diseases will cease; and that the autumn will be healthy; but if
  not; it is likely to be a fatal season to children and women; but
  least of all to old men; and that convalescents will pass into
  quartans; and from quartans into dropsies; but if the winter be
  southerly; showery and mild; but the spring northerly; dry; and of a
  wintry character; in the first place women who happen to be with
  child; and whose accouchement should take place in spring; are apt
  to miscarry; and such as bring forth; have feeble and sickly children;
  so that they either die presently or are tender; feeble; and sickly;
  if they live。 Such is the case with the women。 The others are
  subject to dysenteries and dry ophthalmies; and some have catarrhs
  beginning in the head and descending to the lungs。 Men of a phlegmatic
  temperament are likely to have dysenteries; and women; also; from
  the humidity of their nature; the phlegm descending downwards from the
  brain; those who are bilious; too; have dry ophthalmies from the
  heat and dryness of their flesh; the aged; too; have catarrhs from
  their flabbiness and melting of the veins; so that some of them die
  suddenly and some become paralytic on the right side or the left。
  For when; the winter being southerly and the body hot; the blood and
  veins are not properly constringed; a spring that is northerly; dry;
  and cold; having come on; the brain when it should have been
  expanded and purged; by the coryza and hoarseness is then
  constringed and contracted; so that the summer and the heat
  occurring suddenly; and a change supervening; these diseases fall out。
  And such cities as lie well to the sun and winds; and use good waters;
  feel these changes less; but such as use marshy and pooly waters;
  and lie well both as regards the winds and the sun; these all feel
  it more。 And if the summer be dry; those diseases soon cease; but if
  rainy; they are protracted; and there is danger of any sore that there
  is becoming phagedenic from any cause; and lienteries and dropsies
  supervene at the conclusion of diseases; for the bowels are not
  readily dried up。 And if the summer be rainy and southerly; and next
  the autumn; the winter must; of necessity; be sickly; and ardent
  fevers are likely to attack those that are phlegmatic; and more
  elderly than forty years; and pleurisies and peripneumonies those that
  are bilious。 But if the summer is parched and northerly; but the
  autumn rainy and southerly; headache and sphacelus of the brain are
  likely to occur; and in addition hoarseness; coryza; coughs; and in
  some cases; consumption。 But if the season is northerly and without
  water; there being no rain; neither after the Dogstar nor Arcturus;
  this state agrees best with those who are naturally phlegmatic; with
  those who are of a humid temperament; and with women; but it is most
  inimical to the bilious; for they become much parched up; and
  ophthalmies of a dry nature supervene; fevers both acute and
  chronic; and in some cases melancholy; for the most humid and watery
  part of the bile being consumed; the thickest and most acrid portion
  is left; and of the blood likewise; when these diseases came upon
  them。 But all these are beneficial to the phlegmatic; for they are
  thereby dried up; and reach winter not oppressed with humors; but with
  them dried up。
  11。 Whoever studies and observes these things may be able to foresee
  most of the effects which will result from the changes of the seasons;
  and one ought to be particularly guarded during the greatest changes
  of the seasons; and neither willingly give medicines; nor apply the
  cautery to the belly; nor make incisions there until ten or more
  days be past。 Now; the greatest and most dangerous are the two
  solstices; and especially the summer; and also the two equinoxes;
  but especially the autumnal。 One ought also to be guarded about the
  rising of the stars; especially of the Dogstar; then of Arcturus;
  and then the setting of the Pleiades; for diseases are especially
  apt to prove critical in those days; and some prove fatal; some pass
  off; and all others change to another form and another constitution。
  So it is with regard to them。
  12。 I wish to show; respecting Asia and Europe; how; in all
  respects; they differ from one another; and concerning the figure of
  the inhabitants; for they are different; and do not at