d to take as soon as he sees the patient, and he
can give you suitable advice concerning your disorder.

* * * * *

PART III

ARISTOTLE'S BOOK OF PROBLEMS

WITH OTHER

ASTROMER, ASTROLOGERS AND

PHYSICIANS,

CONCERNING

THE STATE OF MAN'S BODY.

Q. Among all living creatures, why hath man only his countenance lifted
up towards Heaven. A. 1. From the will of the Creator. But although this
answer be true, yet it seemeth not to be of force, because that so all
questions might be easily resolved. Therefore, 2. I answer that, for the
most part, every workman doth make his first work worse, and then his
second better! so God creating all other animals before man gave them
their face looking down to the earth; and then secondly he created man,
unto whom he gave an upright shape, lifted unto heaven, because it is
drawn from divinity, and it is derived from the goodness of God, who
maketh all his works both perfect and good. 3. Man only, among all
living creatures, is ordained to the kingdom of heaven, and therefore
hath his face elevated and lifted up to heaven, because that despising
earthly and worldly things, he ought often to contemplate on heavenly
things. 4. That the reasonable man is like unto angels, and finally
ordained towards God; and therefore he hath a figure looking upward. 5.
Man is a microcosm, that is, a little world, and therefore he doth
command all other living creatures and they obey him. 6. Naturally there
is unto everything and every work, that form and figure given which is
fit and proper for its motion; as unto the heavens, roundness, to the
fire a pyramidical form, that is, broad beneath and sharp towards the
top, which form is most apt to ascend; and so man has his face towards
heaven to behold the wonders of God's works.

Q. Why are the heads of men hairy? A. The hair is the ornament of the
head, and the brain is purged of gross humours by the growing of the
hair, from the highest to the lowest, which pass through the pores of
the exterior flesh, become dry, and are converted into hair. This
appears to be the case, from the circumstance that in all man's body
there is nothing drier than the hair, for it is drier than the bones;
and it is well known that some beasts are nourished with bones, as dogs,
but they cannot digest feathers or hair, but void them undigested, being
too hot for nourishment. 2. It is answered, that the brain is purged in
three