It was believed that the female body had more water than the male body. Ancient doctors thought that puberty, specifically the menarche, could be caused through an excess of fluid buildup in the female body, and thus menstruation was the body's way of regulating its fluid and humoral balance.[39] This idea led to Roman doctors not taking notice of problematic menstrual cycles; excessive and minimal menstruation were medical problems noticed by doctors.[40] Pliny the Elder, a Roman naturalist,[41] wrote that menstrual fluid could wither fruit, cause insanity in dogs, dull mirrors, rust iron and bronze, kill bees, pollute purple fabrics, cause miscarriages in horses and humans, and sour crops.[42] He also believed that if a woman menstruated during a solar or lunar eclipse, sexual intercourse could result in death.