i FORMS OF WATER 115 



special virtue. Some, for example, I may explain, 3 

 alleviate affections of the eyes, some, those of the 

 sinews, some effect complete cure of chronic maladies 

 given up by doctors as hopeless. Some again heal 

 sores, some by being drunk ease internal pain and 

 relieve complaints of the lungs and bowels. Some 

 staunch the flow of blood ; in fact their individual 

 uses are as varied as their taste. 



II 



ALL waters are classed as either standing or 

 running ; they are either gathered in one or occupy 

 different channels underground. Some of them are 

 sweet, others have pungent flavours of different 

 kinds, among them salt, bitter, medicinal. Belong 

 ing to the last class one may name sulphur, iron, 

 alum waters. The taste shows the quality. Waters 

 of different kinds have many other differences. 

 First there is touch, hot and cold ; then weight, 

 light and heavy ; then colour, pure, muddy, dark 

 blue, yellowish ; then wholesomeness, wholesome 

 and useful, or deadly or capable of petrifaction. 

 Some waters are thin, some thick ; some give 

 nourishment, others pass through the system with 

 out benefiting it at all ; the use of some removes 

 barrenness. 



Ill 



THE lie of the ground makes water either stand or 

 run ; on a slope it flows down, a plain keeps it 

 in, causing it to stagnate. Sometimes under pres 

 sure of air it is forced uphill ; it is then driven, it 



