Book II LENTICULAR FEVER——TVPHUS 109

hardly any patients, for it indicated the presence of & powerful
stimulus (great irritation), and that nature was forced to try
to drive out, in whatever way was possible, the opposing element
which was in the larger veins; but that path was not suitable
for expelling the germs of the contagion, because these had
their seat chiefly in the smaller veins, inasmuch as they had
arrived from without. Similarly, the evacuation of the bowels
was of no great benefit, because, though the corrupt substance
was purged away, the germs were not. Consequently, of all
the methods of expulsion, the most helpful was through the
skin, first by means of spots, and later by sweat also; hence it
was observed that many recovered after they had been relieved
by an abundant sweat, because through their pores a large pro—
portion of the germs was expelled along with the volatile ele—
ment of the blood.

"The urine was, in some cases, held back, either because the
watery element was absorbed or was diverted elsewhere, into
the spots, or as sweat, or again because the too great redundancy
of the humors or their density was obstructing the normal paths;
or again, because the strength of the patient failed; that is why
this was a very bad sign. 'The reason why this contagion at—
tacks children and young people rather than others, is that in
them there is more and wetter blood,?? and with that kind of
blood this contagion has analogy (selective affinity). 'Then
too they not only have more open pores, but also a warmer
temperament, and hence there is greater attraetion for the germs,
partly through the veins, partly through the breath. That is
why those persons who were occupied in business were more
likely to be infected in proportion as they were busy; whereas
idle persons and those of a cold, dry temperament to which
class belong old men and the Jews, were less liable. Women
too are by nature of a cold temperament, and their flesh is
closer in texture.

'"The nobility are more liable to this disease than the common
people, and on the other hand the plague attacks the populace
more than the nobility, for this reason : the plague mostly spreads
by passing on the contagion from one person to another, and
less by means of a tainted condition of the air, whereas the in—
fection that we are discussing is spread more by a taint in the
air than by transmission from one person to another. Now
the nobility, on account of their wealth and other conveniences