Medicine and philosophy - Classical Homeopathy Online

The Methodism of Caelius Aurelianus 317The following passage provides a good example:(21a) secundum nos igitur distentio est siue extentio, quam, ut supra diximus,tetanon Graeci uocauerunt, inuoluntaria tensio, recto atque inflexibili porrectacremento collorum ob uehementem stricturam siue tumorem. (Acut. 3.6.65)But according to us the stiffening or stretching, which, as we said above, the Greekscall tetanos, is an involuntary straining of the neck and its rigid prolongationstraight upward, caused by a severe constriction or swelling.This definition is not even a remotely complete description of the symptomsof this disease; nor does it claim to be one, for in fact such a descriptionfollows in the next section. 75 Moreover, this definition makes referenceto the cause of the disease (ob uehementem stricturam siue tumorem), whichis not what one would expect from an account of the symptoms.Another example of such a type of definition is(22a) est agnitio hydrophobiae appetentia uehemens atque timor potus sine ullaratione atque ob quandam in corpore passionem. (Acut. 3.10.101)The distinctive characteristic of hydrophobia is a powerful appetite and fear ofwater without any reason and because of some affection in the body.What is interesting is that in the sequel to both passages Caelius proceedsto explain why the definition consists of its particular components. In thefirst passage, after having distinguished three types of spasm, he goes on tosay:(21b) sed inuoluntaria haec dicta sunt ad discretionem eorum, qui uoluntate suacolla hoc schemate componunt; ob tumorem autem siue stricturam ad discretionem, qui ligationibus tormentuosis organi eas partes positas habent.(Acut. 3.6.66)But these have been called ‘involuntary’ in order to distinguish them from thosepeople who deliberately hold their neck in this position; and [it has been said tobe] ‘because of a swelling or a constricted state’ in order to distinguish it from thosepeople whose relevant bodily parts are put on torturing instruments.And similarly in the second case:(22b) adiectum est autem sine ulla ratione atque ob quandam in corpore passionem,quod alii timeant potum ut ueneni admixti suspicione uel arte prouidentes, quia,si intemporaliter sumpserint, periclitabuntur; neque ilico hi ratione timentes hydrophobiesse uel dici possunt. (Acut. 3.10.101)75 3.6.66: ‘Those who are about to lapse into these affections get the following symptoms: difficulty inmoving the neck, frequent gaping, etc.’ (tentantibus igitur in has passiones deuenire haec obueniunt:difficilis cervicis motus, iugis oscitatio etc.).