Decisiones praecipuorum aliquot aporēmatōn iatrophilosophikōn

The more acute the disease, the more it requires a lighter diet (Aphorism 1.4.7), if, that is, the strength can bear it. From this, after the "continuous cause" syneches aition proximate cause (which is rightly the first, as it is the "form" to eidos the form "homogenous" homogonon of the same nature and "divided" diidomenon distributed "being" to einai the being "to the not" tō ouk to the non-existent—that is, the disease itself), the indications of "continuous" synechōn continuous "necessities" nusiōn needs are mostly to be sought. Galen beautifully subjects this correction of his opinion (Aphorism 1.14) in Aphorism 1.7 & 9, Book 11 of the Method of Healing, chapter 5, and the book on the time of all diseases, chapter 8. Hippocrates (Aphorism 1.8.9), Celsus (Book 3, chapter 7), Rhazes (Book 10 to Mansur, chapter 16), Avicenna (Book 1, Fen 4, chapter 1), and Gentilis in his commentary agree with these. Therefore, in pestilential diseases, although they are the most acute of all and require the lightest possible diet at the very height epikmasia the peak/crisis of the disease, because strength is prostrated in an instant, food is supplied a little more liberally than is usually done in acute diseases, in which the vehemence of the disease presses more than the loss of strength. Galen also advises this (Book 3 of Epidemics, comm. 3, sent. 38), along with Avicenna (Book 4, Fen 1, doctrine 4, chapter 4). "The nature of diseases is the physician, and the physician is the servant of nature," says Hippocrates (Book 6 of Epidemics, section 5, Aphorism 1).

Is reduction (bleeding/purgation) appropriate in diseases?

Hippocrates (Aphorism 1.22) and Galen (Book 3 On Crises, chapter 5) command that one should purge and move pharmakeuein kai kinēein to administer drugs and move [the humors] only when the matter is "ripe," not "raw" ōma raw/unripe. Therefore, one should not purge at the beginning of diseases. What if the offending humor in the stomach and intestines, which does not adhere very tenaciously, would be an impediment to future "discharge" diachōrēsei evacuation? What if the vicious humor were stored either in the spleen, or around the pancreas and liver, or in the mesentery, which would induce either a slow fever, or intermittent fever, or melancholy, or diarrhea, or cachexia, or a huge obstruction; should it not be immediately driven from its tribunal? Unless it is very slow and thick, or the impurity of the stomach prevents it. For here, the stomach must first be gently cleansed, then the humor attenuated and wiped away, and finally eradicated at the root. What if the matter is swelling (Aphorism 1.22, 4.10) and, having made an attack in a crowd, induces a risk of suffocation? Should not a laxative and "tempering" epikerasikon tempering/soothing agent be offered, or an enema injected, when there is a conjecture that the matter is not rebellious to the expulsive faculty? And therefore, Hippocrates (Aphorism 2.29) says: "At the beginning of diseases, move what you wish to move." The same author proposes an example of this to us at the end of his book on purgatives and in the case of Philiscus (Book 1 of Epidemics), and Aëtius (Ferm. 6, chapter 47), even if he seems contrary to himself (Ferm. 3, chapter 160). For thus Nature, being relieved by the weight being somewhat diminished, will bring the digestion of the morbific matter to a happier outcome. Unless, however, there is danger in transit due to "corrosion" diabrōsin corrosion/erosion of the humor, or the paths toward the intestines are blocked, whence occurs a "sinking" diadūsis penetration/sinking of the raging matter into the principal parts. What is said of purgatives, the same must be thought regarding the fearful followers of Erasistratus and Menodotus, who forbid bloodletting for many at the beginning of acute and stubborn diseases, for whom, by Hercules, this aid would be most salutary.

Therefore, reduction is appropriate in diseases.