This malady is increased by rest. Therefore there is a necessity for exercise and labour: care being taken however that these be not carried too far, lest they produce a fever. Unction and friction, and sweatings are necessary. Every thing sweet is hurtful; also milk, and cheese. Acids are most agreeable; therefore it is good to sup sharp vinegar alone, and more especially that, which is tinctured with squills. Salt fish is to be eaten, or olives in hard brine; lettuce in vinegar; endive also, and betes in the same manner; and mustard, wild radish, and parsnips: of animal food the heels, and cheeks, lean birds, and venison of the same kind. A decoction of wormwood in water may be given for drink fasting: but after meat the water, in which a smith has often extinguished hot iron, for this very powerfully contracts the spleen: the discovery of which property we owe to an observation made upon animals bred in the houses of smiths, that they have very small spleens. Small and austere wine may also be given; and every thing in food or drink, which is diuretic: of great efficacy for that purpose is trefoil seed, or cummin, or smallage, or serpyllum, or cytisus(23), or thyme, or hyssop, or savory: for these seem very proper to promote a discharge of the humour from it. It is good also to eat of the spleen of beef: and rocket and cresses are remarkable for attenuating the spleen. There must be some external application to ease the pain. Such is composed from a kind of acorns(24) used by the Unguentarii, which the Greeks call myrobalani[CW]: or the seeds of lint, and cresses mixed with wine and oil: also of green cypress and dry figs: or of mustard and a fourth part of the suet of a goat’s kidneys, and this is rubbed in the sun and applied immediately. And the caper too is fit for this disorder in many forms; for it may both be eaten itself with meat, and its pickle with vinegar supped. Moreover the root powdered or its bark with bran, or the caper itself powdered, and mixed with honey, may be applied externally. There are also malagmas calculated for this purpose. [CW] μυροβάλανοι. CHAP. X. OF THE DISEASES OF THE KIDNEYS, AND THEIR CURE. But where the kidneys are affected, the disorder continues long. It is worse if attended with a frequent bilious vomiting. It is proper to rest; to lie soft; to open the belly; and even to give a clyster if it will not do without it; to sit down often in warm water; to take neither meat nor drink cold; to abstain from every thing salt, acrimonious, acid, and fruit of the apple kind; to drink freely; to add sometimes to the meat, and sometimes to the drink, pepper, leeks, ferula(25), white poppies, which usually cause a great discharge of urine from the kidneys.