How Milk is to be eaten and used, in time of health.
First that they drink or eat the milk of no horned beast unsodden, for so will it not easily curdle nor engen∣der wind: but Womens milk, Asses milk, and Mares milk, need no other fire to prepare it, for it will never curdle into any hard substance. Secondly to be sure that milk shall not curdle, season it with salt, suger, or hony, and neither drink any wine or soure thing upon it, nor mingle it with other meats, but eat it upon an empty stomack, and fast an hour after it. Thirdly exercise not presently upon it, neither sleep upon any milk taken from beasts chewing the cud, and when you have eaten it wash your teeth clean, for there is no greater enemy unto them then milk it self, which therefore nature hath chiefly ordained for them, who never had or have * 1.1lost their teeth. And truely (as Marcilius Ficinus no∣teth) Milk is not to be used of young men, who have sound teeth given them for stronger meat, but of such as either have none at all, or very few and weak ones; or though they have strong teeth, want ability and strength to set them a grinding as it falleth out in them that are fallen into Fever Hecticks. Wherefore when Poppaea * 1.2wife to Domitius Nero carried 500 she Asses (shod with gold) continually about with her, to bath her body in their milk once a week, and to drink of it every day, to make her skin clear and smooth without wrinckles: