Medicine and the Science of the Stars : Astrological Physick in Early Modern England

Despite the modern view of astrology as a pseudoscience, the movements and corresponding effects of the stars played a major role in early modern English society and culture. This holds particularly true of its use in "physick" [the contemporary term for medicine]. As it had for centuries, astrological physick involved every aspect of health and illness for all living creatures from the moment of birth until that of death. Although a great deal of academic attention has been paid to the theory of Galenic or "Hippo-Galenic" medicine, the same has not been true for the astrological component; rather surprisingly given the symbiotic relationship between Galenic and astrological principles. Filling this gap and providing an original contribution to scholarship, this is the first monograph to focus exclusively on early modern astrological medicine. This systematic introduction will provide scholars with an understanding of the key principles behind the science of the stars, the ways in which this information was disseminated and practiced in early modern England.