Popular errours.: Or the errours of the people in physick, first written in Latine by the learned physitian James Primrose Doctor in Physick. Divided into foure bookes. viz. 1. The first treating concerning physicians. 2. The second of the errours about some diseases, and the knowledge of them. 3. The third of the errours about the diet; as well of the sound as of the sick. 4. The fourth of the errours of the people about the use of remedies. Profitable and necessary to be read of all. To which is added by the same authour his verdict concerning the antimoniall cuppe. Translated into English by Robert Wittie Doctor in Physick.

CHAP. V. Of the quality of meats about the Sick.

IT is an usuall thing likewise for them to erre, not only in quantity, but in quality also. For they are often wont to offer to the sick, yea to such as bee sick of feavers, divers strengthening meats, as they call them; as ale boyled with eggs, mace, nutmeg, and cynamon, and other meats which they call by sundry names; yea, and they urge them sometimes to take solid meats; but all this very foolishly.

And first, it is certaine, that solid meats are unfit for the sick, seeing they cannot be well concocted by the sto∣mack. But those meats that are to be supped, are more easily overcome by the stomack, and doe soonest nourish; and therefore Hippocrates in divers pla∣ces perswades to nourish the sick with supping meats, rather than with solid meats. For by such a diet nature is sooner strengthened, and is not hin∣dred from the conflict which it hath be∣gun with the disease. It is more easie to bee filled with drinkes than with meat:

where by drinkes he meanes whatso∣ever is taken by supping, as interpreters observe.

Secondly, it is to observed, that in the healthfull, meats ought to be alike, because the naturall state doth require to be preserved, but every thing is pre∣served by things that are alike: But in the sick, the quality of meats ought to resist the disease, that there may be medicine in meat, for to every disease its contrary must be applyed: To a hot nature, cooling, drinking of water, rest; From whence it comes to passe, that they that goe about to strengthen the sick with such a diet, doe oftentimes more hurt to them, and more increase the cause of the disease, and so the strength is more impaired. Therefore the judgment of a Physician is alwayes to be used; nor ought the by-standers rashly to exhibite any thing, which o∣therwise is profitable to the healthfull, for the same doth prove many times very hurtfull to the sick. And let this suffice to be said in this place; for the larger explication of this subject, be∣longs to them that write of the mat∣ter of Physick. For it is not my pur∣pose to teach Physick, but onely to

shew to the people their errours, as I have said in another place.

Notes

• Supping meats sooner nourish then solid meats.
• Aph. 11. lib. 2.
• 6 Epid. sect. 6.