1
Nutriment and form of nutriment, one and many. One, inasmuch as its kind is one; form varies with moistness or dryness. These foods too have their formsOr figures. and quantities; they are for certain things, and for a certain number of things.
2
It increases, strengthens, clothes with flesh, makes like, makes unlike, what is in the several parts, according to the nature of each part and its original power.
3
It makes into the likeness of a power, when the nutriment that comes in has the mastery, and when that is mastered which was there to begin with.
4
It also loses its qualities; sometimes the earlier nutriment, when in time it has been liberated or added, sometimes the later, when in time it has been liberated or added.
5
Both are weakened in time and after a time by the nutriment from without which has continuously entered in, and for a long time firmly has interwoven itself with all the limbs.
6
And it sends forth shoots of its own proper form. It changes the old form and descends; it nourishes as it is digested. Sometimes it alters the earlier form, and completely obscures the former ones.
7
Power of nutriment reaches to bone and to all the parts of bone, to sinew, to vein, to artery, to muscle, to membrane, to flesh, fat, blood, phlegm, marrow, brain, spinal marrow, the intestines and all their parts; it reaches also to heat, breath, and moisture.
8
Nutriment is that which is nourishing; nutriment is that which is fit to nourish; nutriment is that which is about to nourish.
9
The beginning of all things is one and the end of all things is one, and the end and beginning are the same.
10
And all the particular details in nourishment are managed well or ill; well if as aforesaid, ill if ordered in the opposite way to these.
11
Juices varied in colours and in powers, to harm or to help, or neither to harm nor to help, varied in amount, excess or defect, in combination of some but not of others.
