Galen's Commentaries on the Aphorisms of Hippocrates

innate heat: at the same time bringing back to memory their substance, and at the same time demonstrating the proposition. For since those who are growing have a moist and hot substance, it is therefore necessary that much flows out from them; moreover, they need much nourishment; otherwise, he says, the body is consumed—and he says so rightly. For where that which flows out is much, but that which flows in is little, here it is necessary that the underlying substance be destroyed. In the elderly, however, there is little heat, whether one refers the discussion to quality or to substance. For both the quality is weak and the substance is minimal, if indeed we remember those things which we said above. For this reason, therefore, he says that they need few fuels. For he called nourishments "fuels," in agreement with his own dogma and that of other most noble philosophers, who thought that fire was the primary cause of life among the elements that constitute animals. For just as the flames of lamps, even if they have oil as nourishment, yet if someone pours it all on at once, they are extinguished rather than nourished: in the same way, in the elderly, the heat indeed has nourishment as its fuel, but if it is overwhelmed by much and all at once, and is in a certain way strangled, there is danger that it may be extinguished. Just as if you pile a multitude of logs upon a small spark of fire. As for what he adds: "And for this reason fevers in the elderly are not as acute," this itself is also a sign that the bodies of the elderly are cold, and that fever is kindled chiefly on account of the conversion of innate heat to a fiery nature. But that such a conversion should happen to the elderly as to equal that which happens to younger people is scarcely possible. For much heat readily rises to an immense degree, but a small amount does not easily do so, but requires a very great cause to compel it to this. For this reason, therefore, the elderly for the most part do not suffer from acute fevers as the young do; and if ever such a fever happens to them as to the young, it completely leads to the death of the patient. For it is an indication that there is some immense magnitude of the cause producing the fever. These things can suffice for those who are disposed according to nature for the understanding and belief of those things which Hippocrates wrote. But toward those who have rebuked Hippocrates through calumny—of whose number Lycus was one—we have written one whole volume against those things which they wrongly object against the aphorism. To this we gave such a title: To Lycus, that nothing was erred in the aphorism whose beginning is: Those things which grow have the most innate heat. Moreover, Lycus's book was given to me after my commentaries were written; hence I afterwards added these words to them, which are not in those which I had published before. Separately, however, in another volume, I defended Hippocrates in those matters in which he had been rebuked by Lycus.

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Stomachs in winter and spring are by nature hottest, and sleeps are longest; wherefore during those times more abundant nourishment is to be provided. For indeed, then innate heat is greatest, whence they also need more nourishment; the ages and athletes are an indication.

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Not a few seasons of the year also contribute to finding the rationale for diet. For in wintertime men have more appetite and digest food more easily. On the contrary in summer; the cause of which thing Hippocrates himself gave, saying: "Stomachs in winter and spring are hottest." But what it is that is called "by nature," and that he did not add that word in vain in this aphorism, he himself explained a little later, saying: "For indeed innate heat is much." Therefore it needs the most nourishment. Thus, stomachs are hottest in winter and spring, not simply, but with natural heat, whose substance I showed before. Moreover, the cause on account of which this same heat is increased in winter, also