Minor Greek Physicists and Physicians

Chap. 12. On the difference of the consistencies of the substances that subside.

1. Experience shows what the moderate consistency of the subsided substance is; but so that it may be defined in discourse, we speak thus regarding the moderate consistency of the subsided substance. 2. The substance that subsides with a moderate consistency is by nature entirely thicker than the humor The surrounding fluid or "crude" urine.. 3. Because of this, it is easily manifest to the sight, with the gaze not passing through it as it does through the humor, but rather resting on its initial layers and then passing through with scrutiny. 4. Since you have heard the discourse on the moderate consistency of the humor, it is possible for you, as if from a safe point, to know the thin and thick substances that subside; however, the necessary points should also be stated by us. 5. Of the thin subsided substances, those that share more of the color of the humor are less visible than those that stand further away from the color of the humor, so this also must be predefined in the discourse. 6. Of these, some have fallen away from the moderate just a little, others more so—which one would not easily see—and others most so, which one would see only with difficulty after passing a ray of the sun through the urinal. 7. Of the subsided substances moving from the moderate toward thickness, some appear moderately thicker so that they do not easily let the sight pass through; others more so, so that the sight rests upon them, and in discourse, one thinks of a thickness even greater than this; and others again most so, with the discourse resting no less than the sight. For it is not possible in discourse to conceive of a thickness in the subsided substances greater than that, as they are already similar in consistency to pus. 8. It must be known, however, with this discourse, that we speak now of all kinds of pre-existing substances, whether these be the residues of the third digestion, or excretions of raw humors, or pus and fragments of internal vessels. 9. For we shall provide the diagnoses of them in their proper places, God willing. Now, holding to the following, let us speak in sequence. 10. Since the interval of the humor is divided into three parts—namely, the bottom of the urinal, the surface, and the middle of both these ends—the substances that move toward the bottom of the urinal, those learned in such matters have called hypostaseis sediments, from the fact of "subsiding" Greek: "hypostesthai", the prefix hypo- under indicating the lower position. Those that move toward the middle of the entire interval are enaioremata suspensions, from the "suspension" Greek: "aiora", I suppose, of both ends, as we know, standing apart. Those that move toward the surface itself are nephelai clouds and "ground-dwellers," positioning the bottom of the urinal analogously to the earth, since heavier things move toward the bottom. All these are called by a common and general name, paryphistamena subsided substances, from the fact of subsiding Greek: "paryphistasthai" anywhere in the humor. And thus, the sons of the physicians formerly divided the discourse about the subsided substance, setting them as the beginnings of medical theory.

original Greek: "Joannes Actuarius" (author), "medical treatise", "uroscopy", "παρυφιστάμενα" (subsided substances), "χρώματα" (colors), "σύστασις" (consistency), "χύμα" (humor/fluid)