Judy Duchan

Astrology and Medicine in Medieval Times

The use in medicine of stars (the 12 signs of the zodiac) and of the sun, moon
and planets is an ancient practice. However, the practice reached its epitome
in Europe in the late medieval (1450+ AD) and early modern periods (1700
AD). During this period, medical practitioners regarded different signs of the
zodiac and planets as having governance over different parts of the body, as
controlling different diseases, and as affecting the usefulness of different
drugs.

For example, to be effective, plants and herbs had to be collected during the
times in which their associated planets were visible. These times were
calculated from an almanac in which the rising and setting times of planets
were given. To gather the medicinal plants and herbs at any other times
would prevent them from being effective.

Other treatments besides herbal remedies were also thought to be governed

by astrological signs. For example, bleeding, a common medical procedure
until the early 19th century, was considered most effective when the moon
was in a particular constellation.

Medieval scientists and medical practitioners saw the solar system being
made up of seven planets. They treated the sun and moon as planets, and
added to them Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. These were the
planets that could be seen with the naked eye. After the invention of the
telescope in 1608 Uranus, Neptune, Ceres and Pluto were discovered and
added to the list of astrological influences.
The twelve Zodiac signs below cover the body from head (Aries) to toe
(Pisces) because Aries is the first sign of the zodiac while Pisces is the last.
Physicians diagnosing an illness would determine the constellation that the
moon appeared in when his patient first became ill. He would then consult
astrological predictions and associations and make a diagnosis.

Astrology was an important part of medicine until the end of the 17th
century.