[p. 70]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.
PART 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 akin to those which have
been
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