VMs: Nostradamus as physician...

[Nick Pelling <incoming@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi GC,

> I also find it interesting that during the 15th and 16th centuries
> at least, translations of astrological works, along with
> predictions and charts, were carried out by physicians almost
> exclusively.  John Dee might be the notable exception, since he
> went the way of the polymath.  Even Nostradamus was a physician -
> how would you like to have been one of his patients?  :-)

On the contrary, according to the introduction to "The Elixirs of 
Nostradamus" (Knut Boeser, 1996):-

        [Nostradamus] irrefutably cured the most serious illnesses
        of the time in such an astonishing number of cases that
        he soon acquired the reputation of being able to work miracles.

        [...] His remedies inclued 'rose pills', which were to be made
        as follows:

        one ounce of sawdust from the greenest available cypress tree
        six ounces of Florentine iris
        three ounces of cloves
        three drachms of sweet flag (root)
        six drachms of resinous aloe wood

        These ingredients are pulverised and then 300 to 400 red roses,
        which have been picked before the grey light of dawn and
        similarly pulverized, are mixed in with them. Throughout, care
        is taken to avoid undue exposure to the air. The mixture is
        then shaped into pills, which the patient constantly keeps in
        the mouth. According to Michel, the wonderful scent can
        kill bad breath and fould smells and clean rotten teeth.

        Nostradamus was of the opinion that the plague was spread
        by contaminated air, and that clean air protected the patients.
        Perhaps his success lay simply in the fact that fleas, which
        are known to transmit the plague from rats to humans, could not
        stand the mixture's strong smell and thus at least the
        healthy were stopped from catching the disease.

        Whatever the reason, his reputation and his prestige as a
        plague healer grew.

FYI, the above dates from about 1546. :-)

Cheers, .....Nick Pelling.....