Aphorisms of Hippocrates

proceeds is driven by violence done to the body. We have also almost the same sentiment of Hippocrates, which is in this aphorism, in the Book on Ancient Medicine, which we will recite a little later. And therefore we ought to say that the belly being perturbed or vomiting occurring spontaneously can be understood in two ways: either by nature governing our whole body, or by nature governing some part of it. If by nature governing the whole body, or by the universal nature governing it, that vomiting and that evacuation is right; for nothing is done by the universal nature of the body that is not right and good. If, however, it is by a particular nature, namely of some part, such vomiting and evacuation can be not right nor opportune; and this is because either that part is injured by itself, or by something arriving from without, such as food, drink, from humors pushed into it from some part, and from surrounding things. If that part be injured by itself, and have within itself the whole cause of the injury, and expels it, that purging will be right, useful, and easy. If, however, the cause comes from elsewhere, as from another part, the evacuation will perhaps be untimely. If, however, it is from food or some moisture stimulating the part, and not corrected by the universal nature, the purging will be out of time and symptomatic. Wherefore, it is not to be asserted that every evacuation, although done spontaneously, is from the governing universal nature; for it can happen that the purging occurs either from a weak nature of a part, or from a biting matter, or from the force of the disease, which will be called spontaneous. And since the cause is not known to the senses and is not manifest, it is called spontaneous, just as is read in that aphorism:

Spontaneous lassitudes foretell diseases,

that is, lassitudes arising from a cause not manifest. Hippocrates adds afterwards: "If such things are purged, as...