On Medical Matters

...to note the injured party 44, as we shall transmit. In the case of those producing chronic conditions, there is no difficulty regarding the treatment of the affliction associated with the noting; for once the drugs have escaped the sharpness of their activity and have been transferred into chronic ones, they commonly take on the structures 45 and remedies of other conditions, the specific quality of the ingested drugs no longer being present. Once a chronic condition has been established by them, the condition itself falls into some category of chronic ailments, in which it is easy to undertake the treatment. These, then, are the common aids. Following these, we will record those things suitable for each individual case, having first set forth together whatever possesses a destructive or harmful power in each class, and so that, with caution, if any 46 of the drugs recorded for health possess any of these mixed in 47, which those who seek medical help use, [they may be avoided]. For thoughtlessness brings about great—

44. Marcellus suggested that the vulgate "seeing" should be changed to this.
45. Codex X: "preparations."
46. Thus the first Goupil edition; "in any" Aldine, Asulan, Cornarius.
47. Thus Cornarius in place of the vulgate "drugs."

...has caused harm, as we shall teach in the following. But in those which bring on long-term affections, there is no difficulty in curing, although it is very difficult to distinguish the harmful poison by its signs: for when poisons have lost that immediate power, and have been transmuted into long-lasting affections, they demand the common remedies and compositions of other affections, as the poisonous property no longer adheres to them. Therefore, a long-term affection which has been excited by them falls into some class of chronic diseases, from which it will be easy to seek a method of healing. And so much for those things which are generally helpful. Consequently, we shall commit to memory those aids which are individually suitable for each case, if we first set forth which things of each order (grade) have been allotted a deadly or malicious power: so that, if any of those things which are described for use in health have any of these mixed in, medical students may use them more cautiously. For thoughtlessness brings about great damages, and often through continuous use of these—