Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
A Treatise on Fevers (Author: [unknown])
Section 6
{TCD 1299 page and line 29a49} Let it be asked here whether nature is helped by the cure externally or internally; it seems it is not, for Galenus says in the third book of De ingenio sanitatis: ‘Natura non ... ’ i.e. nature is not deficient in anything, so nature is not relieved by the cure externally or internally. Then Aristotle says in the first book of De generacionis that there is no reaction between the corporeal and the incorporeal, and nature is incorporeal and the cure corporeal, {TCD 1299 page and line 29b1} so there is no reaction between them, and, since there is not, nature is not relieved by the cure. Then Galenus says in De ingenio sanitatis the words: ‘Nil inuenitur ... ’ i.e. there is nothing which helps nature but injures nature first, and Galenus says that no cure helps nature more than a digestive, and digestion does not injure nature according to Galenus, so nature is not relieved by any cure. Then Galenus says in the first De interioribus: ‘Natura non ... ’ i.e. nature does not need the help of the cure except when it cannot of itself overcome the illness, or when the illness is greater than nature, and, when the illness is stronger than nature, then it is mortal, so nature is not relieved by the cure, for Galenus orders that the cure should not be given in mortal illnesses. Then Galenus says in the commentary of the second book of the Aphorisms, that nature is not relieved by anything outside of nature, and the cure is against nature, so nature is not relieved by the cure. Then Galenus says that if any cure helps nature it is digestion, and everything that is ready for corruption does not help nature, and the qualities
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of digestion are ready for corruption i.e. heat, moisture, so nature is not helped by the cure. Then Aristotle says in the third book of fisicorum1 that the cure does not work in the human body until the natural heat acts in the cure, so since the natural heat must work against the cure, nature is weakened by the cure. This is opposed according to all the doctors. Then it seems it is not suitable to give a digestive in every continuous putrid fever such as synocha, for Galenus says it is not suitable to give a digestive in this fever. Then it seems that a digestive should not be given at all, for Hippocrates says in this canon: ‘Si ex ... ’, i.e. that Phlebotomy should be used when the four humours increase together, and the humour-cure should be given when one humour errs alone, if so, Avicenna says that digestion is simply the preparation of the matter that is not ready for expulsion on account of coagulation and viscosity, and, when the four humours increase together, digestion is not needed but evacuation by the vein, as we have said, and when one humour errs, it should be purged by a humour-cure likewise, so it is not suitable to give a digestive at all. Then Galenus says a digestive should not be given in mortal illnesses such as colic and synocha and frenzy and quinsy and anthrax, as Hippocrates says in the first section and in the fourth section of the Aphorisms, so a digestive is not suitable in every fever. Then a digestive is not suitable in a fever from reddish bile, for Galenus says in the ninth book of De ingenio sanitatis, every digestive is hot, and it is not suitable to give hot things in a fever from reddish bile, so a digestive should not be given in every fever. This is opposed, for Galenus says it is suitable to give a digestive in sinoca inflatiua, and there is no fever in which a digestive should less be given than in synocha, so a digestive is suitable in every fever. Then Galenus says that every fever ending in crisis must be given a digestive, for the function of nature in the crisis is first to digest, then to disperse and finally to expel, so a digestive should be given in every fever. Then Avicenna says in the fourth book that an illness begins only from the degree of digestion, so a digestive should be given in every illness. Then Galenus says it is a sign of immediate
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health in every illness to see the sign of proper digestion, so since the signs of digestion are natural, the physician should give a digestive in every illness. We answer that and say that it is suitable to give a digestive in every corrupt fever.