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on airs, waters, and places-第2章

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winds of the north scarcely touch; must necessarily be in a very
unhealthy situation: in the first place the waters are not clear;
the cause of which is; because the mist prevails commonly in the
morning; and it is mixed up with the water and destroys its clearness;
for the sun does not shine upon the water until he be considerably
raised above the horizon。 And in summer; cold breezes from the east
blow and dews fall; and in the latter part of the day the setting
sun particularly scorches the inhabitants; and therefore they are pale
and enfeebled; and are partly subject to all the aforesaid diseases;
but no one is peculiar to them。 Their voices are rough and hoarse
owing to the state of the air; which in such a situation is
generally impure and unwholesome; for they have not the northern winds
to purify it; and these winds they have are of a very humid character;
such being the nature of the evening breezes。 Such a situation of a
city bears a great resemblance to autumn as regards the changes of the
day; inasmuch as the difference between morning and evening is
great。 So it is with regard to the winds that are conducive to health;
or the contrary。
  7。 And I wish to give an account of the other kinds of waters;
namely; of such as are wholesome and such as are unwholesome; and what
bad and what good effects may be derived from water; for water
contributes much towards health。 Such waters then as are marshy;
stagnant; and belong to lakes; are necessarily hot in summer; thick;
and have a strong smell; since they have no current; but being
constantly supplied by rain…water; and the sun heating them; they
necessarily want their proper color; are unwholesome and form bile; in
winter; they become congealed; cold; and muddy with the snow and
ice; so that they are most apt to engender phlegm; and bring on
hoarseness; those who drink them have large and obstructed spleens;
their bellies are hard; emaciated; and hot; and their shoulders;
collar…bones; and faces are emaciated; for their flesh is melted
down and taken up by the spleen; and hence they are slender; such
persons then are voracious and thirsty; their bellies are very dry
both above and below; so that they require the strongest medicines。
This disease is habitual to them both in summer and in winter; and
in addition they are very subject to dropsies of a most fatal
character; and in summer dysenteries; diarrheas; and protracted
quartan fevers frequently seize them; and these diseases when
prolonged dispose such constitutions to dropsies; and thus prove
fatal。 These are the diseases which attack them in summer; but in
winter younger persons are liable to pneumonia; and maniacal
affections; and older persons to ardent fevers; from hardness of the
belly。 Women are subject to oedema and leucophlegmasiae; when pregnant
they have difficult deliveries; their infants are large and swelled;
and then during nursing they become wasted and sickly; and the lochial
discharge after parturition does not proceed properly with the
women。 The children are particularly subject to hernia; and adults
to varices and ulcers on their legs; so that persons with such
constitutions cannot be long…lived; but before the usual period they
fall into a state of premature old age。 And further; the women
appear to be with child; and when the time of parturition arrives; the
fulness of the belly disappears; and this happens from dropsy of the
uterus。 Such waters then I reckon bad for every purpose。 The next to
them in badness are those which have their fountains in rocks; so that
they must necessarily be hard; or come from a soil which produces
thermal waters; such as those having iron; copper; silver; gold;
sulphur; alum; bitumen; or nitre (soda) in them; for all these are
formed by the force of heat。 Good waters cannot proceed from such a
soil; but those that are hard and of a heating nature; difficult to
pass by urine; and of difficult evacuation by the bowels。 The best are
those which flow from elevated grounds; and hills of earth; these
are sweet; clear; and can bear a little wine; they are hot in summer
and cold in winter; for such necessarily must be the waters from
deep wells。 But those are most to be commended which run to the rising
of the sun; and especially to the summer sun; for such are necessarily
more clear; fragrant; and light。 But all such as are salty; crude; and
harsh; are not good for drink。 But there are certain constitutions and
diseases with which such waters agree when drunk; as I will explain
presently。 Their characters are as follows: the best are such as
have their fountains to the east; the next; those between the summer
risings and settings of the sun; and especially those to the
risings; and third; those between the summer and winter settings;
but the worst are those to the south; and the parts between the winter
rising and setting; and those to the south are very bad; but those
to the north are better。 They are to be used as follows: whoever is in
good health and strength need not mind; but may always drink
whatever is at hand。 But whoever wishes to drink the most suitable for
any disease; may accomplish his purpose by attending to the
following directions: To persons whose bellies are hard and easily
burnt up; the sweetest; the lightest; and the most limpid waters
will be proper; but those persons whose bellies are soft; loose; and
pituitous; should choose the hardest; those kinds that are most crude;
and the saltiest; for thus will they be most readily dried up; for
such waters as are adapted for boiling; and are of a very solvent
nature; naturally loosen readily and melt down the bowels; but such as
are intractable; hard; and by no means proper for boiling; these
rather bind and dry up the bowels。 People have deceived themselves
with regard to salt waters; from inexperience; for they think these
waters purgative; whereas they are the very reverse; for such waters
are crude; and ill adapted for boiling; so that the belly is more
likely to be bound up than loosened by them。 And thus it is with
regard to the waters of springs。
  8。 I will now tell how it is with respect to rain…water; and water
from snow。 Rain waters; then; are the lightest; the sweetest; the
thinnest; and the clearest; for originally the sun raises and attracts
the thinnest and lightest part of the water; as is obvious from the
nature of salts; for the saltish part is left behind owing to its
thickness and weight; and forms salts; but the sun attracts the
thinnest part; owing to its lightness; and he abstracts this not
only from the lakes; but also from the sea; and from all things
which contain humidity; and there is humidity in everything; and
from man himself the sun draws off the thinnest and lightest part of
the juices。 As a strong proof of this; when a man walks in the sun; or
sits down having a garment on; whatever parts of the body the sun
shines upon do not sweat; for the sun carries off whatever sweat makes
its appearance; but those parts which are covered by the garment; or
anything else; sweat; for the particles of sweat are drawn and
forced out by the sun; and are preserved by the cover so as not to
be dissipated by the sun; but when the person comes into the shade the
whole body equally perspires; because the sun no longer shines upon
it。 Wherefore; of all kinds of water; these spoil the soonest; and
rain water has a bad spot smell; because its particles are collected
and mixed together from most objects; so as to spoil the soonest。
And in addition to this; when attracted and raised up; being carried
about and mixed with the air; whatever part of it is turbid and
darkish is separated and removed from the other; and becomes cloud and
mist; but the most attenuated and lightest part is left; and becomes
sweet; being heated and concocted by the sun; for all other things
when concocted become sweet。 While dissipated then and not in a
state of consistence it is carried aloft。 But when collected and
condensed by contrary winds; it falls down wherever it happens to be
most condensed。 For this is likely to happen when the clouds being
carried along and moving with a wind which does not allow them to
rest; suddenly encounters another wind and other clouds from the
opposite direction: there it is first condensed; and what is behind is
carried up to the spot; and thus it thickens; blackens; and is
conglomerated; and by its weight it falls down and becomes rain。 Such;
to all appearance; are the best of waters; but they require to be
boiled and strained; for otherwise they have a bad smell; and occasion
hoarseness and thickness of the voice to those who drink them。 Those
from snow and ice are all bad; for when once congealed; they never
again recover their former nature; for whatever is clear; light; and
sweet in them; is separated and disappears; but the most turbid and
weightiest part is left behind。 You may ascertain this in the
following manner: If in winter you will pour water by measure into a
vessel and expose it to the open air until it is all frozen; and
then on the following day bring it into a warm situation where the ice
will thaw; if you will measure the water again when dissolv
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