10. One
might mention many things akin to these respecting the stomach and bowels, to
show how people readily bear such food as they are accustomed to, even if it is
not naturally good, and drink in like manner, and how they bear unpleasantly
such food as they are not accustomed to, even although not bad, and so in like
manner with drink; and as to the effects of eating much flesh, contrary to
usage, or garlic, or asafoetida, or the stem of the plant which produces it, or
things of a similar kind possessed of strong properties, one would be less
surprised if such things produce pains in the bowels, but rather when one
learned what trouble, swelling, flatulence, and tormina the cake (maza) will
raise in the belly when eaten by a person not accustomed to it; and how much
weight and distention of the bowels bread will create to a person accustomed to
live upon the maza; and what thirst and sudden fullness will be occasioned by
eating hot bread, owing to its desiccant and indigestible properties; and what
different effects are produced by fine and coarse bread when eaten contrary to
usage, or by the cake when usually dry, moist, or viscid; and what different
effects polenta produces upon those who are accustomed and those who are
unaccustomed to the use of it; or drinking of wine or drinking of water, when
either custom is suddenly exchanged for the other; or when, contrary to usage,
diluted wine or undiluted has been suddenly drunk, for the one will create
water-brash in the upper part of the intestinal canal and flatulence in the lower,
while the other will give rise to throbbing of the arteries, heaviness of the
head, and thirst; and white and dark-colored wine, although both strong wines,
if exchanged contrary to usage, will produce very different effects upon the
body, so that one need the less wonder that a sweet and strong wine, if
suddenly exchanged, should have by no means the same effect.
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