§8Εἴρηταί μοι τὸ πᾶν ἤδη περὶ χρείας σφυγμῶν.
The whole has already been said by me concerning the utility of the pulses.
καὶ γὰρ ὅτι φυσικῆς ἕνεκα τῆς καθ’ ὅλον τὸ ζῶον θερμασίας, καὶ ὅτι κατὰ μὲν τὰς διαστολὰς διαψύχεται τοῦτο, κατὰ δὲ τὰς συστολὰς καθαίρεται, καὶ ὡς αἱ κινήσεις αἵδε ταῖς ἀναπνευστικαῖς ἐοίκασι πάντη, καὶ ὡς καὶ τῷ ψυχικῷ πνεύματι χρήσιμοι, καὶ ὡς καθ’ ἓν μόνον ἀναπνοὴ καὶ σφυγμὸς διαφέρουσι, τῷ τὴν μὲν ὑπὸ τῆς ψυχικῆς δυνάμεως, τὸν δ’ ὑπὸ τῆς ζωτικῆς γίνεσθαι, τὰ δ’ ἄλλα πάντα καὶ χρείας ἕνεκα καὶ τρόπου κινήσεως ὁμοίως ἔχουσιν, εἴρηταί τε καὶ δέδεικται.
For indeed, both that it is for the sake of the natural heat throughout the whole animal, and that during the dilations this is cooled, whereas during the contractions it is purged, and how these movements resemble the respiratory ones in every way, and how they are also useful for the psychic pneuma, and how respiration and pulse differ in one respect only, in that the former is produced by the psychic power and the latter by the vital power, while in all other respects they are similar both for the sake of utility and in the manner of movement, has been both said and demonstrated.
ῥᾷστον δὴ ταῦτ’ ἐπιμελῶς ἀναλεξαμένῳ διακρίνειν δύνασθαι τά τε καλῶς ὑπὸ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν εἰρημένα καὶ τὰ μή.
It is indeed easiest for one who has carefully read these things to distinguish between what was well said by those of old and what was not.
ῥᾴδιον δὲ τῷ τοιούτῳ, καὶ ὅσα κατὰ μέρος ὑπὲρ ἀμφοτέρων ζητεῖται τῶν ἐνεργειῶν, ἐξευρίσκειν.
And it is easy for such a person to discover also whatever is investigated in detail concerning both activities.