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 dissolved you will
find it much less in quantity。 This is a proof that the lightest and
thinnest part is dissipated and dried up by the congelation； and not
the heaviest and thickest； for that is impossible： wherefore I hold
that waters from snow and ice； and those allied to them； are the worst
of any for all purposes whatever。 Such are the characters of
rain…water； and those from ice and snow。
9。 Men become affected with the stone； and are seized with
diseases of the kidneys； strangury； sciatica； and become ruptured；
when they drink all sorts of waters； and those from great rivers
into which other rivulets run； or from a lake into which many
streams of all sorts flow； and such as are brought from a considerable
distance。 For it is impossible that such waters can resemble one
another； but one kind is sweet； another saltish and aluminous； and
some flow from thermal springs； and these being all mixed up
together disagree； and the strongest part always prevails； but the
same kind is not always the strongest； but sometimes one and sometimes
another； according to the winds； for the north wind imparts strength
to this water； and the south to that； and so also with regard to the
others。 There must be deposits of mud and sand in the vessels from
such waters； and the aforesaid diseases must be engendered by them
when drunk； but why not to all I will now explain。 When the bowels are
loose and in a healthy state； and when the bladder is not hot； nor the
neck of the bladder very contracted； all such persons pass water
freely； and no concretion forms in the bladder； but those in whom
the belly is hot； the bladder must be in the same condition； and
when preternaturally heated； its neck becomes inflamed； and when these
things happen； the bladder does not expel the urine； but raises its
heat excessively。 And the thinnest part of it is secreted； and the
purest part is passed off in the form of urine； but the thickest and
most turbid part is condensed and concreted； at first in small
quantity； but afterwards in