Thus, the melon was a largely consumed and appreciated fruit and vegetable product, even though there were many people, above all doctors, who said that melons were harmful, and said that this fresh fruit was responsible even for the death of four emperors and two pontiffs.
The melon was said to be harmful also by the Italian scientist Castore Durante (1529-1590), who wrote about melons in 1585 its work (Herbario nuovo), advising against the consumption of melons for people who suffered from disorders of the digestive system and diabetics.