Disputationis medicae de hydrope theses inaugurales LXV

and more difficult to cure, while the others are not, in fact, easy.

38. Dropsy is also worse, and joined with greater danger, if it arises from an acute disease (Hippocrates, Book 2, Prognostics).

39. Thus, a flux of the belly coming upon a dropsical patient suddenly without relief, or constipation of the same, and retention of urine, is mortal.

40. Likewise, a cough, constriction, foulness of breath, sputum, sweat, and excretion—if it is similar to washing-water of meat or coagulated blood—brings death.

41. Urine that is also two-colored, for example red above and black below, or the reverse, and also if it is little and red and passes with difficulty, is lethal in that species which is called Ascites abdominal dropsy.

42. Furthermore, we assert with Trallianus and other physicians that the regimen of diet has the greatest importance here, as it does in all other dangerous affections in particular.

43. By the name of diet, we comprehend the whole diaetetica regimen of living, or the legitimate administration of all those things which Galen calls aitia hygieina healthful causes, and the common people call non-natural things. For by these, physicians preserve the strengths.

44. Thus, the whole regimen of life should be instituted so that it is contrary to the causes, which authors discuss more copiously. In general, however, according to Galen's advice, it is beneficial for these patients to drink as little as possible and to labor much, since such a way of life warms and dries.

45. But to approach closer to therapeutica the healing art, we are elegantly taught by Hippocrates (Book 6, Aphorism 14) the best and most correct way of curing water beneath the skin: namely, that we should imitate nature, of which the physician is a servant. For the natures of diseases are the physicians, and the physician is the servant of nature.

46. Nature