PART 12
And the following observations are similar to those now made respecting
the bowels. If the whole body rest long, contrary to usage, it does
not immediately recover its strength; but if, after a protracted repose,
it proceed to labor, it will clearly expose its weakness. So it is
with every one part of the body, for the feet will make a similar
display, and any other of the joints, if, being unaccustomed to labor,
they be suddenly brought into action, after a time. The teeth and
the eyes will suffer in like manner, and also every other part whatever.
A couch, also, that is either softer or harder than one has been accustomed
to will create uneasiness, and sleeping in the open air, contrary
to usage, hardens the body. But it is sufficient merely to state examples
of all these cases. If a person having received a wound in the leg,
neither very serious nor very trifling, and he being neither in a
condition very favorable to its healing nor the contrary, at first
betakes himself to bed, in order to promote the cure, and never raises
his leg, it will thus be much less disposed to inflammation, and be
much sooner well, than it would have been if he had strolled about
during the process of healing; but if upon the fifth or sixth day,
or even earlier, he should get up and attempt to walk, he will suffer
much more then than if he had walked about from the commencement of
the cure, and if he should suddenly make many laborious exertions,
he will suffer much more than if, when the treatment was conducted
otherwise, he had made the same exertions on the same days. In fine,
all these things concur in proving that all great changes, either
one way or another, are hurtful. Wherefore much mischief takes place
in the bowels, if from a state of great inanition more food than is
moderate be administered (and also in the rest of the body,
[p. 74] if from
a state of great rest it be hastily brought to greater exertion, it
will be much more injured), or if from the use of much food it be
changed to complete abstinence, and therefore the body in such cases
requires protracted repose, and if, from a state of laborious exertion,
the body suddenly falls into a state of ease and indolence, in these
cases also the bowels would require continued repose from abundance
of food, for otherwise it will induce pain and heaviness in the whole
body.
