[p. 22]coldness of the water dispose them
to ruptures (of vessels?). Such constitutions must be given to excess
of eating, but not of drinking; for it is not possible to be gourmands
and drunkards at the same time. Ophthalmies, too, at length supervene;
these being of a hard and violent nature, and soon ending in rupture
of the eyes; persons under thirty years of age are liable to severe
bleedings at the nose in summer; attacks of epilepsy are rare but
severe. Such people are likely to be rather long-lived; their ulcers
are not attended with serious discharges, nor of a malignant character;
in disposition they are rather ferocious than gentle. The diseases
I have mentioned are peculiar to the men, and besides they are liable
to any common complaint which may be prevailing from the changes of
the seasons. But the women, in the first place, are of a hard constitution,
from the waters being hard, indigestible, and cold; and their menstrual
discharges are not regular, but in small quantity, and painful. Then
they have difficult parturition, but are not very subject to abortions.
And when they do bring forth children, they are unable to nurse them;
for the hardness and indigestable nature of the water puts away their
milk. Phthisis frequently supervenes after childbirth, for the efforts
of it frequently bring on ruptures and strains. Children while still
little are subject to dropsies in the testicle, which disappear as
they grow older; in such a town they are late in attaining manhood.
It is, as I have now stated, with regard to hot and cold winds and
cities thus exposed.
PART 5
Cities that are exposed to winds between the summer and the winter
risings of the sun, and those the opposite to them, have the following
characters:- Those which lie to the rising of the sun are all likely
to be more healthy than such as are turned to the North, or those
exposed to the hot winds, even if there should not be a furlong between
them. In the first place, both the heat and cold are more moderate.
Then such waters as flow to the rising sun, must necessarily be clear,
fragrant, soft, and delightful to drink, in such a city. For the sun
in rising and shining upon them purifies them, by dispelling the vapors
which generally prevail in the morning. The persons of the inhabitants
are, for the most part, well colored and blooming, unless some
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