The classical reader is referred to Callimachus for a grand poetical description of Bulimia. (Hymnus in Cererem.)
SECT. LII.—ON THE CANINE APPETITE.
Although this symptom seldom occurs during fevers, it sometimes does afterwards; and, since it is allied to loss of appetite, as being the opposite extreme, it will not be improper to treat of inordinate appetite, both of them being in excess. Since, therefore, this affection is generally occasioned by an acid phlegm, we must use those things which will divide and dissipate it. Such, in particular, are all sweet and saline things, and those which are called heating detergents. We must, therefore, give largely of the heating wines. Such are the yellow in colour, and those which are red without being styptic. We must also give them the sweeter kind, although they should not be thirsty. When they come to dinner, we must give them first all fatty things, and everything beside which is prepared with much oil, and has no austere or astringent property. These, although they should not overcome the cause of the complaint, at all events, destroy the insatiable desire of food; but abstinence from them lessens the collection of phlegm in the stomach. We must also give pickles, and after them, plenty of the afore-mentioned wines to be drank. By persevering with these things for some time, the complaint subsides.
Commentary. According to Galen, one of the causes of the canine appetite is an acid cacochymy, and another is an immoderate evacuation of the whole body, occasioned either by strong heat or weakness of the retentive faculty. (u. a.) Hippocrates recommends the liberal use of wine, in one of his Aphorisms (ii, 21); and Galen, in his Commentary on the same, states that the wine should be tawny-coloured or red, and devoid of astringency. In another place, he directs us to purge away the offending humour with the hiera of aloes. (De Med. sec. Locos. viii.)
Our author borrows part from Oribasius. (Synops. vi, 34.)
Alsaharavius recommends the same plan of treatment as the Greeks, when the disease is connected with a cold intemperament; but when with a hot, he directs us to have recourse to bleeding, cold fruits, and cooling applications over the stomach. (Pract. xvi, 11.)
Rhases and Avicenna approve in general of our author’s plan of treatment, to which, however, they suggest some improvements: when the cause of the complaint is an acid phlegm, they direct us to give fatty things, with mustard, pepper, garlic, and the like. When connected with black bile, they approve of bleeding. When it arises from worms, they, of course, approve of anthelmintics. Sarac, one of Rhases’ authorities, recommends emetics and purgatives, with a cupping instrument applied over the stomach. (Contin. xi.)
Serapion’s treatment is entirely like our author’s. (ii, 10.)
SECT. LIII.—ON THIRST.
A protracted thirst may be supposed to be occasioned by dryness, or heat of the parts, by which liquids pass from the mouth to the stomach; and the natural cure of dryness is sleep, and of heat, watching. Some become thirsty from wine, or the heating nature of their food, in which case, the proper cure is cold drink. But some desire drink of a bad quality, as they do food corresponding to the prevailing cacochymy. I have known persons seized with unquenchable thirst, of which they died, who had eaten of the vipers called dipsades, and others who had got drunk upon old wine; and also persons on board of a ship, who, when their fresh water failed them, had drunk of sea-water, have all died. Febrile thirst may be mitigated, by pouring upon the head the coldest oil, or rose oil. But the best remedy for thirst is the seed of the black lettuce, chewed, or the liquorice; or, seed of the cucumber may be retained in the mouth. Give also the following pill, called adipson: Of garden cucumber, dr. viij; of tragacanth, dr. iv; dissolve the tragacanth in the white of fresh eggs, and when dissolved, add to the pounded seeds of the cucumber; and when softened, form pills, which dry in the shade. Give one of these pills to hold below the tongue, and drink the fluid of it as it dissolves. Give also, to swallow, the decoction of quinces, or of pears, or of medlars, or of the tendrils of the vine, or the juice of the pomegranate.