Aristotle's Problems

Why do brine and whey move the bowels, but honeyed wine when drunk does not at all? Surely it is because the substance of the former travels into the belly; nor are they easily concocted like wine, which is hot and, being quickly concocted, is passed as urine. Thus, the excess and escape of the latter does in the bladder what those others do in the bowels; for they do not drive their substance into the bladder, nor indeed do they possess such a nature. Therefore, they pass away with the superfluities that accompany their substance, which is of a swift nature and produces a flux.

Why do men become more slender from an inferior purgation than from a superior one? Surely it is because from the inferior purgation those things which settle from the whole body can be contracted toward the bowels; this is manifest from the nourishment of fetuses, for those fetuses that exist are nourished in that place, since they occupy the lowest position. Those things directed upward, however, emerge from neighboring places; therefore, they are moved by much less force, and all things tend more readily toward the downward path, as they excel in carrying themselves thither. Thus, a purgation emerging above carries away only what is extraneous. For this reason, those who administer hellebore find that it immediately strengthens the body. But an inferior purgation draws from manifold places and sometimes wrenches away many principal parts with it; nor is it moderated by the superfluities. Wherefore it is often beneficial not to empty all things, since the remnants become nourishment and supply strength. But when nothing is left, there are times when it causes a violent emptying, and times when men are killed, being utterly exhausted—unless a somewhat slow-acting composition is offered and arrives at the most opportune place.

Why do inferior purgations not benefit the healthy and the elderly? Because they are very quickly cast down and become slender. This is because in the sick, superfluities pass away; but in the healthy, there is a taking away of those things which sustain and build them up, and likewise a liquefaction of what is not a superfluity removed in illness. Therefore, when it attacks, it shakes them to the foundation.

Why are fluxes of the belly produced more in summer than in winter? For this disease is an excess of moisture, and winter is more humid; should not this disease therefore arise in such a season rather than in a dry one? It is because in summer moisture is enclosed within, while in winter heat is; for whatever arrives from without is opposite to what is within. Thus, even wells are cold in summer but hot in winter. The belly, therefore, suffers the same; hence in winter, since it is hotter, it concocts appropriately. Flux, however, is a lack of concoction. Moreover, food of this sort in summer is, as it were, tumultuous, and the nights are shorter.

Why do medicines purge more from a smaller dose at night than during the day? For scammony purges from an eighth part, and elaterium from a fourth part, when they are administered as pills. It is on account of these three things: on account of moisture, on account of heat, and on account of the long duration of time. For insofar as men are more moist, they are purged more; since purgation is a moist thing. Moreover, a superfluity purges more over a longer time; and this happens more at night because sleep concocts. Thus, it is established that the body perceives the medicine more swiftly and more intensely.

Why do purgative medicines drive phlegm and bile from the veins into the bowels, but not blood, however thin it may be? Either because it acts upon what is extraneous, which cannot grow into the body (whereas a superfluity is alien), or because blood is thicker—certainly thicker when it has been cooled and has coagulated itself.

Why do we not immediately offer food during exercises and medicated potions? Surely because the body is still being purged, and nature is not laboring at one thing only; rather, it is still discharging superfluities. And when there is a great change, it becomes useless; but after a great emptying, a crowded replenishment is beneficial.

Why is bile produced more during heat, although superfluities are fewer? Surely because heat is suitable for putrefying, and bile comes from putrefaction.

Why are the juices of all things so distinguished: either they are with leaves and roots and fruits, or they are with leaves alone? Their heat is drawn out into the moisture; some are toasted by fire, while others are raw, possessing the humors themselves. Wherefore the strong are purged in the bowels, but the weak are dissolved. Indeed, the juices of medicines purge more when from the roots and fruits from which they come; and among those things cast out, whey similarly purges more than milk, for the substance of milk is corporeal, since it is thick, being a part of the earth. We may conjecture this even from the fact that animals would not be nourished and grow from milk unless it were corporeal. Yet they rather urinate the whey and secrete it because of its thinness; but they increase the remaining flesh, and when milk is coagulated, cheeses are made. When seasoned by fire and cooked, milk becomes coagulated butter.

Why, on the contrary, do white and black hellebore purge? Surely because hot things are purgative. For by heat all things are dissolved, but by cold they are rather coagulated. If, therefore, some things purge from below and others from above, each is likened to the purgation of the medicines themselves. Black hellebore is heavy and dense; white is rare and light. Those moist things, therefore, which fall under either center and bear a likeness to them: those under the black, being heavy and dense, have a nature to be carried downward; but those made rare and light by the white are easily elevated on high by the exceeding heat.