CHAP. VI. THE PROPER REGIMEN FOR PEOPLE LIABLE TO A PURGING.
He, that is frequently troubled with a purging, ought to exercise his upper parts by the ball, and such like motions; to walk, while his stomach is empty; to avoid too great heat from the sun, and constant bathing; to anoint without sweating. He should not use a variety of food, and by no means meat stewed into broth, or vegetables of the leguminous kind, or those greens that pass quickly through the body; in fine, to take all such things as are slowly concocted. Venison, hard fish, and the roasted flesh of tame animals, are very proper. It is never fit to drink salt wine(29), nor even the weak, nor sweet wine, but the austere, of a strong body, and not over old. If he chuses mulse, it must be prepared with boiled honey. If cold drinks don’t disturb his belly, he must use them principally. If any thing has disagreed with him at supper, he ought to vomit, and to repeat it the day following; on the third day to eat a small quantity of bread dipped in wine, or eggs fried in oil, or in defrutum(30), and things of a like nature: after that to return to his usual diet. After meat always to rest, and neither apply his thoughts to any subject closely, nor give himself a shock by walking however gently.