02-07-2024, 01:50 PM
Looking at the person my first thought was he had a hernia or massive abscess. The picture is indicating some sort of unhealthy growth on the stomach to my mind. Ogden (1971) quotes Chirurgia Magna as saying hernia patients should mainly eat brothes and soups to encourage 'voiding' and avoid pressure on the hernia which would track with eating a honey mush. Honey also seems to get a mention in a number of texts as softening a hard belly including Macer Floridus (ie probably Pliny).