Of Medicine, in Eight BooksCelsus, Aulus Cornelius
History
Of Medicine, in Eight Books
Celsus, Aulus Cornelius
Medicine, Greek and Roman
But greater precaution is necessary for the valetudinary; amongst
whom are the greatest number of those that live in cities, and almost
all that are fond of study: that care may rectify the disorders which
arise from their constitution, situation, or study. Any of these
then, who has concocted well, will rise in the morning safely; he
that finds the concoction not completed, ought to lie still; and if
he be under a necessity of rising, to go to sleep afterwards. He that
has not concocted at all, should be entirely at rest, and neither
venture upon labour, nor exercise, nor business. He that is troubled
with crude belching, without pain of the præcordia, ought now and
then to drink cold water, and withal to confine himself to certain
rules; to live in a house well lighted, that enjoys the summer’s
breeze and the winter’s sun; to avoid the meridian sun, the morning
and evening cold, as also the air of rivers and lakes; and by no means
to expose himself to the sun breaking out in a cloudy sky, lest he
be sometimes affected with heat, and sometimes with cold, which very
often occasions gravedoes(18) and catarrhs. These inconveniences
are to be guarded against with greater diligence in sickly places,
in which they even cause a pestilence. We may know a body to be in
health, when every day in the morning the urine is first white, and
then of a light red colour: the first shows that the concoction is
going on, and the other, that it is compleated. When any person awakes,
he ought to wait a little, and then, unless it be the winter time, to
wash his mouth plentifully with cold water; in long days, to take the
air in the middle of the day, before meat; or, if he cannot do that
conveniently, after it. In winter especially, to rest the whole night;
but, if he is obliged to study in the night, to do it not immediately
after eating, but after concoction. He, that in the day-time has been
employed either in domestic or civil business, ought to set apart some
time for the refreshment of his body; the principal part of which
is exercise, which ought always to go before meat: in one that has
laboured little(19), and has concocted well, it should be stronger;
in one who has been fatigued, and has not concocted well, it may be
more gentle. Proper exercises are, reading aloud, handling of arms, the
ball, running, and walking; which last is better not upon plain ground:
for an ascent and descent agitates the body with some variety, unless
it be very weak. And it is better in the open air, than in a portico;
better in the sun, if the head can bear it, than in a shade; better
in a shade formed by walls, or parks, than under a roof; a straight
walk is better than a winding. In most cases a beginning sweat should
put an end to exercise, or at least lassitude, that does not amount to
fatigue; and that sometimes in a less, sometimes in a greater degree.
In all these exercises, there should neither be, as among wrestlers, an
inviolable rule, nor too violent labour.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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