nutritive powers； for if a man will drink double the quantity of
pure wine； to a certain quantity of honey which is swallowed； he
will find himself much stronger from the honey； provided it do not
disagree with his bowels； and that his alvine evacuations from it will
be much more copious。 But if he shall use ptisan for a draught； and
drink afterward hydromel； he will feel full； flatulent； and
uncomfortable in the viscera of the hypochondrium； but if the hydromel
be taken before the draught； it will not have the same injurious
effects as if taken after it； but will be rather beneficial。 And
boiled hydromel has a much more elegant appearance than the
unboiled； being clear； thin； white； and transparent； but I am unable
to mention any good quality which it possesses that the other wants。
For it is not sweeter than the unboiled； provided the honey be fine；
and it is weaker； and occasions less copious evacuations of the
bowels； neither of which effects is required from the hydromel。 But
one should by all means use it boiled； provided the honey be bad；
impure； black； and not fragrant； for the boiling will remove the
most of its bad qualities and appearances。
16。 You will find the drink； called oxymel； often very useful in
these complaints； for it promotes expectoration and freedom of
breathing。 the following are the proper occasions for administering
it。 When strongly acid it has no mean operation in rendering the
expectoration more easy； for by bringing up the sputa； which
occasion troublesome hawking； and rendering them more slippery； and；
as it were； clearing the windpipe with a feather； it relieves the
lungs and proves emollient to them； and when it succeeds in
producing these effects it must do much good。 But there are cases in
which hydromel； strongly acid； does not promote expectoration； but
renders it more viscid and thus does harm； and it is most apt to
produce these bad effects in cases which are otherwise of a fatal
character； when the patient is unable to cough or bring up the
sputa。 On this account； then； one ought to consider beforehand the
strength of the patient； and if there be any hope； then one may give
it； but if given at all in such cases it should be quite tepid； and in
by no means large doses。 But if slightly acrid it moistens the mouth
and throat； promotes expectoration； and quenches thirst； agrees with
the viscera seated in the hypochondrium； and obviates the bad
effects of the honey； for the bilious quality of the honey is
thereby corrected。 It also promotes flatulent discharges from the
bowels； and is diuretic； but it occasions watery discharges and
those resembling scrapings； from the lower part of the intestine；
which is sometimes a bad thing in acute diseases； more especially when
the flatulence cannot be passed； but rolls backwards； and otherwise it
diminishes the strength and makes the extremities cold； this is the
only bad effect worth mentioning which I have known to arise from
the oxymel。 It may suit well to drink a little of this at night before
the draught of ptisan； and when a considerable interval of time has
passed after the draught there will be nothing to prevent its being
taken。 But to those who are restricted entirely to drinks without
draughts of ptisan； it will therefore not be proper at all times to
give it； more especially from the fretting and irritation of the
intestine which it occasions； （and these bad effects it will be the
more apt to produce provided there be no faeces in the intestines
and the patient is laboring under inanition；） and then it will
weaken the powers of the hydromel。 But if it appears advantageous to
use a great deal of this drink during the whole course of the disease；
one should add to it merely as much vinegar as can just be perceived
by the taste； for thus what is prejudicial in it will do the least
possible harm； and what is beneficial will do the more good。 In a
word； the acidity of vinegar agrees rather with those who are troubled
with bitter bile； than with those patients whose bile is black； for
the bitter principle is dissolved in it and turned to phlegm； by being
suspended in it； whereas black bile is fermented； swells up； and is
multiplied thereby： for vinegar is a melanogogue。 Vinegar is more
prejudicial to women than to men； for it creates pains in the uterus。
17。 I have nothing further to add as to the effects of water when
used as a drink in acute diseases； for it neither soothes the cough in
pneumonia； nor promotes expectoration； but does less than the others
in this respect； if used alone through the whole complaint。 But if
taken intermediate between oxymel and hydromel； in small quantity；
it promotes expectoration from the change which it occasions in the
qualities of these drinks； for it produces； as it were； a certain
overflow。 Otherwise it does not quench the thirst； for it creates bile
in a bilious temperament； and is injurious to the hypochondrium； and
it does the most harm； engenders most bile； and does the least good
when the bowels are empty； and it increases the swelling of the spleen
and liver when they are in an inflamed state； it produces a gurgling
noise in the intestines and swims on the stomach； for it passes slowly
downwards； as being of a coldish and indigestible nature； and
neither proves laxative nor diuretic； and in this respect； too； it
proves prejudicial； that it does not naturally form does in the
intestines： and； if it be drunk while the feet are cold； its injurious
effects will be greatly aggravated； in all those parts to which it may
be determined。 When you suspect in these diseases either strong
heaviness of the head； or mental alienation； you must abstain entirely
from wine； and in this case use water； or give weak； straw…colored
wine； entirely devoid of bouquet； after which a little water is to
be given in addition； for thus the strength of the will less affect
the head and the understanding： but in which cases water is mostly
to be given for drink； when in large quantity； when in moderate；
when cold； and when hot； all these things have either been discussed
already or will be treated of at the proper time。 In like manner； with
respect to all the others； such as barley…water； the drinks made
from green shoots； those from raisins； and the skins of grapes and
wheat； and bastard saffron； and myrtles； pomegranates； and the others；
when the proper time for using them is come； they will be treated of
along with the disease in question； in like manner as the other
compound medicines。
18。 The bath is useful in many diseases； in some of them when used
steadily； and in others when not so。 Sometimes it must be less used
than it would be otherwise； from the want of accommodation； for in few
families are all the conveniences prepared； and persons who can manage
them as they ought to be。 And if the patient be not bathed properly；
he maybe thereby hurt in no inconsiderable degree； for there is
required a place to cover him that is free of smoke； abundance of
water； materials for frequent baths； but not very large； unless this
should be required。 It is better that no friction should be applied；
but if so； a hot soap （smegma） must be used in greater abundance
than is common； and an affusion of a considerable quantity of water is
to be made at the same time and afterwards repeated。 There must also
be a short passage to the basin； and it should be of easy ingress
and egress。 But the person who takes the bath should be orderly and
reserved in his manner； should do nothing for himself； but others
should pour the water upon him and rub him； and plenty of waters； of
various temperatures； should be in readiness for the douche； and the
affusions quickly made； and sponges should be used instead of the comb
（strigil）； and the body should be anointed when not quite dry。 But the
head should be rubbed by the sponge until it is quite dry； the
extremities should be protected from cold； as also the head and the
rest of the body； and a man should not be washed immediately after
he has taken a draught of ptisan or a drink； neither should he take
ptisan as a drink immediately after the bath。 Much will depend upon
whether the patient； when in good health； was very fond of the bath；
and in the custom of taking it： for such persons； especially； feel the
want of it； and are benefited if they are bathed； and injured if
they are not。 In general it suits better with cases of pneumonia
than in ardent fevers； for the bath soothes the pain in the side；
chest； and back； concocts the sputa； promotes expectoration；
improves the respiration； and allays lassitude； for it soothes the
joints and outer skin； and is diuretic； removes heaviness of the head；
and moistens the nose。 Such are the benefits to be derived from the
bath； if all the proper requisites be present； but if one or more of
these be wanting； the bath； instead of doing good； may rather prove
injurious； for every one of them may do harm if not prepared not
prepared by the attendants in the proper manner。 It is by no means a
suitable thing in these diseases to persons whose bowels are too
loose； or when they are unusually confined； and there has been no
previous evacuation； neit