Medieval Medicine

If you were feeling ill in Medieval England and you took yourself off to the doctors you might have been spared a four and a half hour wait in accident and emergency but after the proceedure changed radically. Your Doctor would have been well versed in the art of astrology and would begin his consultation by casting a horoscope for the time of your medical appointment, or, by casting your natal horoscope.

Let's assume he did the latter - cast your natal horoscope - what would he be looking for and what might he diagnose?

After casting your horoscope he would have paid particular attention to your Ascending Sign and the sign on the cusp of the Sixth House. Additionally, he would pay attention to the luminaries and the aspects they formed with the other planets, especially those in the First and Sixth House (or planetary rulers of the 1st and 6th houses).

In Medieval times certain signs of the zodiac were believed to correlate to particular ailments which I shall list below. However, let me state categorically that this post is written solely for the purpose of shining a light onto the practice of medieval medicine. I am not a doctor. If you have any medical symptoms you must take the appropriate steps to get medical advice from a fully qualified Doctor.

ARIES: epilepsy; fevers; vertigo; cerebral congestion, headaches; inflammation; insomnia; apoplexy; and all kinds of nasty wounds and violent accidents.

TAURUS: glandular swellings in the neck; laryngitis; strangulation; tonsillitis; gangrene; impure blood; impaired venous circulation; polypus and abscesses.

GEMINI: fractures of the arms, hands and shoulders; bronchitis; pulonary consumption; asthma; impure blood; anemia failing perceptions and pneumonia.

CANCER: digestive ailments; flatulency; kidney trouble; sclerosis; nervous exhaustion; ovarian trouble and the dropsy.

LEO: heart trouble; palpitations; fevers; poor circulation; fainting spells; spinal meningitis and loco-motor ataxia.

VIRGO: cholera; afflictions of the intestines; digestive ailments; malnutrition; peritonitis; general paralysis in old age and tape-worm.
LIBRA: all forms of kidney trouble; spinal trouble; lumbago; diabetes and renal calculi.

SCORPIO: ruptures; scurvy; hemorroids; venereal disease; ulcers; toxic complaints; nasal catarrh and urethral strictures.

SAGITTARIUS: dislocation of the hip joints; rheumatism; gout; sciatica; loco-motor ataxia; coxalgia and accident prone.

CAPRICORN: diseases of the skin; articular rheumatism; gout; hysteria; cramps; leprosy; infantile paralysis; skeletal deformities; dislocation of the bones; broken bones; ersipelas; toothache; synovitis and ankylosis.

AQUARIUS: spraines and broken ankles; swollen ankles; heart weaknesses; anemia; cramp; blood poisoning; varicose veins; sensitive skin; spasmodic and nervous diseases.

PISCES: deformities of the toes and feet; bunions; alcoholism; gout; venereal disease to a lesser degree; heart trouble; liver disease and diseases involving mucous discharges and secretions.