Aretaeus, De curatione diuturnorum morborum libri duo
Francis Adams LL.D., Ed.

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CHAPTER VI. CURE OF STOMACHICS.

IN the other affections, after the treatment, the diet contributes to the strength and force of the body, by good digestion; but in stomachics alone it is at fault.¹ How it should be, I will now declare. For gestation, promenades, gymnastics, the exercise of the voice, and food of easy digestion, are sufficient to counteract the vitiated appetite of the stomach; but it is impossible that these things could remove protracted indigestion, and convert the emaciated condition of the body to embonpoint. But in these cases, much more than usual, the patients should be indulged, and everything done towards them liberally, the physician gratifying their appetites whenever the objects of them are not very prejudicial; for this is the best course, provided they have no desire of those things which would do them much good. Medicines are to be given in the liquid form--decoctions, as of wormwood; and nard ointment and the Theriac, and the fruit of stone-parsley, and of ginger, and of pepper, and of hartwort;² these things are of a digestive nature. And an epitheme is to be applied to the breast for the purpose of astringency, containing nard, mastich, aloe, the acacias, and the juice of quinces, and the pulps of the apples bruised with dates, so as to form an astringent epitheme. Also such other things as have been enumerated by me under diabetes, for the cure of the thirst. For the same causes produce thirst in them, and yet in stomachics the tone of the stomach is not inclined to thirst.