Source edition
Galen. Claudii Galeni Opera Omnia, Volume 6. Kühn, Karl Gottlob, editor. Leipzig: Knobloch, 1823.
Source data
A Digital Corpus for Graeco-Arabic Studies · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This medical treatise discusses the proper preparation and prescriptive standards of barley gruel (ptisane), which was an essential therapeutic food in ancient Greek medicine. The author criticizes certain physicians for their inappropriate use of barley gruel and, relying on the doctrines of Hippocrates, elucidates its correct application. The discussion begins with the selection of the best water for cooking, followed by an explanation of the properties of different parts of the barley grain, physical criteria for selecting quality barley, and the precise steps of boiling and preparation. Next, the treatise explains the diverse medical benefits of properly prepared gruel, such as its smoothness, hydrating qualities, and effectiveness in soothing fevers. Finally, it details practical clinical guidelines—including the timing, dosage, contraindications, and the patient's dietary habits—and concludes with how to distinguish the usage of the gruel itself from its strained juice.