ON THE WONDERS OF THE WORLD,

On the nutritive and digestive faculty. Chapter IV.

A large ornamental letter 'C' marks the beginning of the text, styled with intricate flourishes common to Renaissance printing.

Regarding the appetitive and nutritive power, errors and wonderful disorders occur. For example, some never grow hungry, others very easily; some are often thirsty and do not grow hungry, others the reverse; the causes of which physicians declare. But that some are asserted not to grow hungry or eat for many years, this is more stupendous. I say first, however, that it is possible that they do not grow hungry, as experience teaches concerning many. I say secondly, that it is possible that they live for so long a time, such as a year, or three years, or even twenty years (as is reported concerning certain devout persons), without eating. This seems to be possible if the pores in such persons are so closed that almost nothing is resolved from them, and the heat is moderate in comparison to the solid, gross, and humid members, so that it does not resolve them, yet it is strong and sufficient around the veins and nerves for the generation of the spirits through which life persists. The humors also must be so disposed in the paths and instruments that they do not suffocate or extinguish it, and so on with other concurrent factors required for the continuation of life. But because it is most rare for all things to agree at once in such a temperament, this happens very rarely, nor should one...