Chapter XXIX. Of the Sixth House

CHAPTER XXIX.

OF THE SIXTH HOUSE.

Viz. Sickness, Servants, Small Cattle, &c.

IN the first place, we ought to take the figure for the exact moment of the person falling sick, or rather of being obliged to take to his bed. ¹

Secondly, if that cannot be had, accept of that time when first any person spoke to a physician, &c. regarding the patient. And if it was with his consent, the ascendant will signify him; but if unknown to him, the ascendant will denote the querent; and the house describing his relation to the person speaking of the sickness will describe the patient. (This is, supposing the physician to be an astrologer, which they formerly were; but if the patient's friend speak to an astrologer, the same rule holds.)

Thirdly, or let the physician note the time of his own first

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speaking with the patient, ¹ and let a figure be erected for that moment.

Then consider carefully, first, the ascendant and planets therein; secondly, the 6th house, and planets therein, thirdly, the sign and house wherein the Moon is; fourthly, how she is affected or afflicted, by what planet, in what house that planet is, and of what house be is lord.

What Part of the Body as afflicted?

If the ascendant be afflicted by an evil planet, and he retrograde, combust, peregrine, slow in motion, or in ☐ or ☍ to the lord of the 4th, 6th, 8th, or 12th, the disease is then in the head, or in that part or parts of the body which the planet or planets signify in the sign then ascending.

For example; if ♋ ascend, and ♄ therein, the sick party is afflicted in the head, because the ascendant signifies the head; and also has some disorder in the bowels, reins, or secrets, because ♄ in ♋ signifies those parts; or else with some rotten cough, as ♄ denotes coughs, and ♋ rules the breast. If the lord of the ascendant, ☽, or lord of the 6th, be in a sign signifying the same member or parts as ♄, or if the sign on the 6th represent the same, your judgment will be more certain; I may say, infallible. ²

I also would observe, in like manner, the 6th house, its

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sign, lord, and planet in it. Also observe carefully the sign and house where ☽ is, her separation and application. And you may then venture safely to give judgment as to what part of the body of the sick person is grieved, and of the nature and quality of the sickness.

The Cause and Nature of the Sickness.

The significators in fiery signs, and fiery signs on the ascendant and 6th, shew feverish and hot complaints, hectic fevers, erysipelas, &c.

Earthy signs argue long and tedious diseases, agues, intermittent fevers, and such complaints as proceed from melancholy, consumption, &c.

Airy signs shew corrupt blood, gout, cutaneous diseases, scrofula, &c.

Watery signs shew diseases that proceed from cold and moisture, coughs and disordered stomach, &c.

Diseases signified by the Houses.

1st. All diseases in the head, eyes, face, ears, nose, mouth, foul breath, &c.

2d. The throat, scrofula, quinsey, glandular swellings in the neck, sore throat, &c.

3d. The shoulders, arms, and hands.

4th. The stomach, breast, and lungs.

5th. Back, hind parts of the shoulders, liver, heart, sides, and stomach.

6th. Lower part of the abdomen, the intestines, liver, and reins.

7th. The hams, the flank, the small intestines, bladder, matrix and members of generation.

8th. The spine, rectum, and groin.

9th. The hips and thighs.

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10th. The knees and upper part of the leg behind the knees.

11th. The leg from the knee to the ancle, the shin-bone, shank, &c.

12th. The feet, ancles and toes, with all hurts or disease incident to them. ¹

Whether the Disease will be long or short.

Have regard to the time of year, and consider that diseases commencing in the winter are usually longer, and those in summer shorter.

Diseases which proceed from ♄ are more permanent, and are generally regulated much by the motion of the ☉. Those of a hot and dry nature, which are influenced by ♂ and ☉, are short, and regulated by the motion of ☽. ♄ causes long chronic complaints, falls, bruises, blows, &c.; ♃ and ☉ shorter; ♂ short, violent, and quick, such as cuts, bleedings, &c. ♀ a mean between both, and such as proceed from intemperance; ☿ various and changeable, such as fits, &c.; ☽ such as return at periods, as the falling sickness or epilepsy, giddiness, swimming in the head, gout, periodical illness in females, &c. ²

Signs of a short Disease.

When the cusp of the 6th, the ☽, and the lords of the 1st and 6th, be in moveable signs, or the lord of the ascendant swift in motion, or going out of his own house into another, so that it be not the sign of the 6th or 12th, or if a fortune be in the 6th, you may judge that the disease will soon terminate.

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Signs of a long Disease.

The lord of the 6th evil or afflicted, and placed in the 6th, fixed signs on its cusp, or the significators, especially the ☽, in fixed signs, are testimonies of a long and durable disease and if ♄ be lord of the 6th and in a fixed sign, or retrograde and slow in motion, he extremely prolongs the disease; but if he be in a moveable sign, or in any of his own terms, or be swift in motion, he is not then so unfortunate.

General Signs.

The disease continues but a short time if ♓ be on the cusp of the 6th. If the ☽ apply by ill aspect to the lord of the ascendant, the disease will increase. If ☽ be in the 6th in ill aspect to ♀, the disease is brought on by intemperance, either evil diet or surfeit; and if ♀ be in ♏, there is evidence of a scandalous disease. But if the patient be a female, it may be the whites or other diseases of the matrix.

The last degrees of any sign being on the cusp of the 6th, denotes that the disease is almost at an end. If the lord of the 6th apply by ill aspect to the lord of the ascendant, it is a token of the disease increasing; the same, if the lord of the 6th be in the 8th or 12th house. If the lord of the ascendant be in the 6th, and the lord of the 6th in the ascendant, the disease has been of long continuance, and will continue until one of the significators leaves the sign where he is. And if, at the time of transiting out of the sign, he meet the evil aspects of the infortunes or lords of the 4th or 8th, and they slow in motion, and it be from signs evilly aspecting one another, it is a strong sign that the sick person will then depart this life. The lord of the 6th afflicted by the ☐ or ☍ of the lord of the ascendant, the disease is grievous and hard to cure. If the lord of the 6th be in the ascendant, the

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disease will continue, but the pain at times is small. If he be in a cadent house, the disease is not important, nor will it endure. Good planets in the 6th promise a good end to the disease; evil, the contrary. The lord of the 6th, afflicted in the 6th, 8th, or 12th, or an infortune in the 6th, denotes a disease not easily curable. The lord of the ascendant and ☽ free from ill aspects, both being unafflicted and strong, and not in the 6th, 8th, or 12th, is a fair testimony of recovery and health. The lord of the 1st in the 4th or 8th, if not afflicted, denotes not death; but if unfortunate, it shews great difficulty ere the party be cured. If, however, he be unfortunate by retrogradation, being combust, &c., he may possibly be cured, but will afterwards relapse. If he be in evil aspect with ☽, there is danger; but, above all, if ♄ be lord of the ascendant, and be slow or retrograde, there is reason to fear a long and tedious sickness. If ♄ be strong and well qualified, the reverse.

When the lord of the ascendant is angular, strong, and unafflicted, the querent is in no danger. The ☽ slow in motion and in any aspect with him, it prolongs the infirmity, though there be at present hopes of a cure. If she be swift in motion when aspecting the lord of the ascendant, the cure will be effected in a little time. The ☽ decreasing in light, and coming to ☌, ☐, or ☍ of ♄, unless the disease be already leaving the patient, is very dangerous. The ☽ in ☌ with an oriental planet, who is swift in motion and direct, denotes a brief sickness; if joined to a retrograde and occidental planet, the contrary.

If ♏ ascend, the patient has been the cause of his own sickness by folly, anger, peevishness, or the like; especially if ♂ be therein. Both lights cadent and their dispositors unfortunate, the sickness will be severe; but if the fortunes assist, though the disease will be of long continuance, the

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party will recover beyond all expectation: the stronger the fortunes are, the more confident you may be in your judgment. If ♂ be lord of the ascendant and in the 6th, but in good aspect to ♀, there is no danger; if even in ☐ or ☍, not much.

The lord of the 6th combust, retrograde, in his fall or detriment, and in the 8th, in ☌, ☐, or ☍ of ♄ or ♂, you may fear that the disease will never leave the patient till death. If the ☽ also be applying to the same aspects of the lord of the 8th, your judgment will be certain. The ☽ or lord of the 1st, in ☌, ☐, or ☍ to a benevolent planet, but he retrograde, the patient will recover, but not speedily, for it denotes relapsing out of one disease into another. When ☽ leaves ☍ of ☉, and is swiftly applying to the ☐ or ☍ of ♂, it threatens a fatal end to the disease; but if she receive a ✶ or △ of ♃ or ♀, the sick shall recover. If the ☽ be in the ascendant, and in ☌, ☐, or ☍ to ♄ or ♂, or any other evil planet, it is a token of severe illness and danger, unless she be in mutual reception with the planet afflicting.

Testimonies of Recovery.

The ☽ applying to a fortune, powerful, denotes that the party will be restored to his former health. If reception be between the lords of the ascendant and 8th by house or triplicity, the fortunes assisting the degree ascending, or that on the 6th, or the ☽ by ☌, ✶, or △, the sick will perfectly recover. The lord of the ascendant, being a benefit planet, or any fortune in an angle and no ill aspects cast thereto, signifies health. A certain sign of recovery is, when ☉, ♃, ♀ or ☽ be in the ascendant, and no ways afflicted by the lord of the 6th or 8th house; the more so if in the houses of the lights or benefics. The ☽ in her own house, or the houses of ♃ or ♀, and in any aspect to those benefics, and no way

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afflicted by ♅, ♄, or ♂, denotes health and life. Whenever ☽ ☌ ♃ occurs, it denotes recovery, but if in ♑, less than in any other sign. If ☽ apply to the lord of the ascendant by good aspect, and be unafflicted (by the lord of the 8th or 6th especially), recovery is promised.

When, at the first falling sick of the party, ☽ is void of course, and at her next crisis meets a ✶ or △ of ♃ or ♀ in the exact degree which forms the perfect critical aspect, the patient will undoubtedly recover, be he never so ill at time of asking the question. If at the commencement of a disease, ☉, ☽, and the lord of the ascendant, are free from ill aspects of the infortunes or lord of the 8th, there are assured hopes of life.

Arguments of Death.

The lord of the ascendant and ☽ in ☌ with the lord of the 8th, without interposing aspects of fortunes.

The lord of the ascendant cadent, and the lord of the 8th in an angle, especially if the latter be an infortune. The ☽ applying to a planet in the 8th, and afflicted; and the lord of the ascendant applying to the lord of the 8th or to evil planets therein, are very dangerous. The ☽ transferring the light of the lord of the 8th to the lord of the ascendant, usually denotes death. So when the lord of the 8th is in the ascendant, the lord of the ascendant and ☽ both being afflicted; or the lord of the ascendant being in the 8th and afflicted, and ☽ also weak and in no dignity. The lord of the ascendant under the Earth, and in ill aspect to the lord of the 8th in the 8th, or if the two lords be in ☌ in the 4th house. It is a very ill sign when the lord of the ascendant is in ☌ with the lords of the 4th, 6th, 8th, or 12th.

The lord of the ascendant combust in the ascendant, or the lord of the 8th in the 10th, and the lord of the ascendant in the 4th, 6th, or 12th, and afflicted by malefics, are very evil.

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[paragraph continues] The lord of the 8th retrograde and conjoined with the ☽, or in ☐ or ☍ to her, shews death. The lord of the attendant in ♌ or ♒, and evilly affected by the lords of the 6th or 12th, shews little hopes of recovery; and his being conjoined with Aldebaran, Antares, Caput, Algol, or other violent fixed stars, is also evil. And if both lights be afflicted by ♄ in an angle, it is testimony of a tedious, long illness.

The ☽ in the 4th with ♂, or the ☉ with ♄, are testimonies of death; also the ☽ near the cusp of the ascendant in ☐ of ♂ from the 4th. The ☽ combust in the 8th, or if lady of the 6th and combust in the ascendant or 4th, the same; and especially if the lord of the 8th be afflicted.

The ☌ of ☽ with ☉ is a very ill sign, especially when she has not yet passed ☉; however, when the ☌ is in ♈ or ♌ it is not quite so evil. ¹

In all cases the multiplicity of testimonies must be observed, the strength of the afflicting planets, and the absence of assistance to neutralize the evil influence, before you predict death.

To know whether the Querent be really ill or not.

If the ascendant be not afflicted, nor its lord out of all his essential dignities, nor afflicted by ♄, ♂, or the lord of the 6th, he is not. Or if no planet afflict the 6th house by its presence, or the ☽ be not afflicted in the 8th or 12th, or if you find ♃, or ♀, or ☊ in the ascendant, or ☉ in the 6th, or the ☽ and lord of the ascendant in good aspect, or ♃ or ♀ casting a ✶ or △ to the cusp of the ascendant or 6th, the party is not really sick, but at the utmost some slight indisposition has occurred, which will shortly be rectified.

Whether the Disease be in the Body or Mind, or both.

If the ascendant, ☉, and ☽ be all afflicted, the disease is

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then through the whole body; but if the planets which dispose of ☉ and ☽, or if the lord of the ascendant, or two of them, be afflicted, the disease is more in the mind. If the ascendant the ☽, and lord of the ☉ are all, or two of them, afflicted, and the lord of the ascendant and the dispositor of they free, the affection is in the mind and not in the body.

If ♄ afflict the ☽, he shews trouble in the mind, vexation and care; but if ♃ be in the planet afflicting the ☽, the contrary; for he never oppresses the mind, but always the body.

If the lord of the house in which ☽ is, and the lord of the ascendant are afflicted by ☉, or combust, or under the beams of ☉, the distemper is bodily. But if the ruler of ☽ and the ruler of the lord of the ascendant be much afflicted, the grief is more mental than bodily. Also if the degree ascending and that degree where ☽ is be more afflicted than the lords of those signs, the disease is more in the mind; but if the lords be more afflicted, the reverse.

When the dispositors of the lights are very much afflicted and very weak, and the degree ascending have a ☐ of mo but no ill aspect of ♄ or ♂, the person is much tormented in mind. In these cases ☉ causes the mind to be troubled by pride, self-conceit, haughtiness, &c. ♀ argues luxury, or a lasciviousness which disturbs both body and mind. ☿ shews foolish fancies and fearful imaginations.

Of the Crises, or of Critical Days.

If the disease be not chronic, you will find great alteration in the patient near those times when ☽ arrives at a distance from her first place, when the patient was taken ill, of 45, 90, or 135 degrees. To learn whether these crises will be good or evil, see how she is aspected at those times. If she

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be in good aspect with a benevolent planet, it promises ease and an improved condition; but if she there meet with evil aspects of malevolent planets or the lords of the 6th or 8th, he will be worse, and the medicines do little good. I have always observed that, when the ☽ came at the crises to ☌, ☐, or ☍ of that planet which did afflict the ascendant, ☽, or lord of the ascendant, or when she came to such aspect of the lord of the 6th or planets placed in the 6th, the patient suffered much, the disease ran high, and medicines given about that time worked little or no good. When she came, however, to ✶ or △ of the lords of the ascendant, 9th, 10th, or 11th houses, I observed some interval of ease or amendment. So when the lord of the ascendant came to any good aspect of the ☉ (if he had not power or dominion in the disease), I found the patient's mind much relieved.

How long it may be before Recovery.

When there is reason to believe that, by God's blessing, the sick person shall recover, and it be desired to know when, observe which planet is lord of the ascendant, and what benevolent planet he is in aspect with; then see what house they are in, (that is the one which applies to the other's aspect), whether angles, &c., and what signs they possess, whether moveable, &c. Then according to discretion and quality of the disease, so frame the measure of time. In general, I judge in so many days as the aspect wants degrees of being perfect, if the sign be moveable and the planet angular; but if swift in motion, I am the more certain that the patient will begin to amend in so many days. If the sign be common, in which the application is, I neither judge days, weeks, nor months, but use discretion, having first observed the nature of the disease.

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The ancient rule was as follows:

Moveable signs shew	days.
Common ditto	weeks.
Fixed ditto	months.
Angles are equivalent to	moveable signs.
Succeedent houses to	common signs.
Cadent houses to	fixed signs.

It is well to observe, also, the quick or slow motion of the ☽, the sign she is in, and her situation as to angles, &c. I often find that when the lord of the ascendant quits the sign he is in, and enters a sign in which he has dignities, the patient recovers at that time, or feels an alteration for the better. If a common sign be on the 6th, 28° or more, I say, that the disease will vary in two weeks.

JUDGMENT OF THE DISEASE FROM THE AFFLICTION OF THE MOON AT THE FIRST ILLNESS OF THE PATIENT, OR THE TIME OF ASKING THE QUESTION. ¹

Whoever shall be first taken ill, or compelled to take to his bed when the ☽ is afflicted by ♄, or by ☿, if he have the nature of ♄, will, in a great measure, suffer as here described.

The ☽ in ♈, in ☌, ☐, or ☍ of ♄.--Headache or heaviness in the head, much discharge at the nostrils, dulness, or weariness of the eyes, humours falling into the throat; weak pulse, and a heavy drowsiness of mind; loathing at the stomach, violent unseasonable perspiration, internal heats, and externally cold. The patient more afflicted at night than by day.

The ☽ in ♉, in ☌, &c. of ♄.--Fevers proceeding from obstructions near the heart, liver, and lungs, occasioned by surfeits,

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high living, &c. The pulse high and immoderate, the body inflated, lungs oppressed, ulcerated, &c. If the ☽ be not supported by benefits, there is danger of death within 14 days.

The ☽ in ♊ in ☍ ♄, &c.--The disease has its origin in the mind by too much care, or a multiplicity of business, or otherwise by fatigue in travelling or over-exercise. There is danger of a small fever; the pain is dispersed over all the body, but chiefly in the joints. The vitals are afflicted, the pulse rare, and weak; there are frequent perspirations, symptoms of spleen and consumption. If ♂ also afflict, without assistance, the patient will hardly live 10 days; but if ♃ or ♀ assist, the sick person may recover after a long period.

The ☽ in ♋ in ☌ of ♄, &c.--The breast is much afflicted with tough phlegm, or slimy matter; there is cough, and much salivary discharge. Hoarseness, catarrhs, &c., with humours falling into the breast; the windpipe obstructed; slight fevers, agues, &c. holding a long time; also pains in the bowels, infirmity in the reins or secrets. If ☽ be decreasing, and near the body of ♄, the disease will continue a long time.

The ☽ in ♌ in ☌, &c of ♄.--The sickness arises from bad blood, the patient suffers with heat in the breast, heart-burn, violent fevers, troubled pulse, much external and internal heat, faintness at the heart, swoonings, the stone; and sometimes the black jaundice. If there be no good aspects to prevent it, they frequently die when ☽ comes to ☍ of ♄.

The ☽ in ♍ in ☌, &c. ♄.--The illness arises from indigestion, obstructions in the bowels, &c.; shooting pains are felt under the ribs, &c.; flatulency, gout, or aches in the thighs or feet, &c. The patient generally is sick a long time.

The ☽ in ♎ in ☌, &c. of ♄.--The disease has its origin in some surfeit of wine or rich food, meat ill digested, &c., or

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from excess of venery; the breast is affected, also he head, there is no appetite, a loathing in the stomach, cough, hoarseness, &c., and often great pain in the joints, knees, and thighs, with an itching in those parts, and fear of sciatica.

The ☽ in ♏ in ☌, &c. of ♄.--Denotes a disease in the rectum or sphincter muscle, piles, hemorrhoids, or fistula. There is very likely a retention of urine, or the reverse; stone in the bladder, dropsical humour, &c. It may be that it is gonorrhea, &c., or the diseases of the matrix. ¹

The ☽ in ♐ in ☌, &c. of ♄.--The patient suffers by pains in the joints, &c., or fever, extremes of heat and cold. Illness often happens by too great exertion of body or mind, and cold taken afterwards; there is much melancholy also. And if it be an ☍ of ♄, there is generally a spice of gout, tumours or swellings in the hands, thighs, or feet, &c. If ♂ have any ill aspect to ☽, it proves a violent burning fever.

The ☽ in ♑ in ☌, &c. ♄.--The disease proceeds from cold or melancholy. It brings heaviness of the breast and stomach, difficulty of breathing, dry coughs, the lungs oppressed, and a fever is approaching. The pain is greater at night than in the day. The patient continually complains of headache, or pain in the left ear, or of a rumbling noise in his head. ²

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The ☉ in ♒ in ☌, &c. ♄.--The illness is occasioned by too much toil of mind or body, want of sleep, or due refreshment. The malady comes on unequally with remission or intension. ¹ The patient suffers by noise in the head, by wind, or faintness at the heart, or a rising and danger of suffocation by hysterical fits, &c.; and by sore throat.

The ☽ in ♓ in ☌, &c. ♄.--The complaint arises from cold, ² and the patient is afflicted with continual fever, frequently sighs, suffers pains under the nipples of the breast, and about the heart; the throat suffers from much phlegm, or there is water in the chest, rotten cough, &c.

Whoever is taken ill when ☽ is afflicted by ♂ or the ☉, suffers in the following manner:--

The ☽ in ♈ in ☌, &c. of ♂.--The disease is from some distemper of the membranes, &c. of the brain. There is continual fever and restlessness, extreme thirst, foul tongue, or inflammation of the liver, heat and pain in the breast, high pulse, and often delirium. The patient is generally almost mad with pain, either cholic or cholera pains, &c. in the bowels. If after the ☽ leave ♂ she go to ☌ or ☍ of ♄, there is small hope of life; and if she decrease in light, and be slow in motion, there is scarce any.

The ☽ in ♉ in ☌, &c. of ♂.--There is an abundance of blood, continual fever, the whole frame disordered; sore throat, with inflammation in the neck, or hind part thereof; pain in the bones, broken sleep, and a foolish longing after wine and cold water. There is often putrid sore throat and also hoarseness, and strangury, stone, or gravel, with pain in the reins or kidneys, or disease therein.

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The ☽ in ♊ in ☌, &c. ♂.--A violent fever, high and in-ordinate pulse; there are obstructions and corrupt blood, pains all over the body, heat in the reins, and sometimes spitting of blood; also lameness or fractures in the arms, pains in the joints, &c.

The ☽ in ♋, in ☌, &c. ♂. This shews a disordered stomach by having taken too much to drink, &c., riot, and excess. It often turns to dysentery, cough, and spitting of blood.

The ☽ in ♌ in ☌, &c. ♂.--Too much blood abounds, weak pulse, a disturbed brain, raving, and strong fits; loss of or depraved appetite; distempers of the heart, heaviness all over the body, and drowsiness. There is danger of consumption. The blood is over-heated, the body dry and parched; there is probability of pleurisy, fainting, and swooning. I ever fear this ☌ or ☍ more than in any other sign.

The ☽ in ♍ in ☌, &c. ♂. Flux in the bowels, small fevers, a failing pulse, cholic, flatulence, weakness in the legs, or near the ancles. If ☽ be afflicted by ♂ in ♍, diseases are not easily removed.

The ☽ in ♎ in ☌, &c. ♂.--The patient is grieved with plentitude of blood, and, from that cause, has high pulse, no rest, is feverish, and an inflammation all over the body. The patient has taken some surfeit by excess or disorder in his diet, or the blood is over-heated; or there is stone or gravel in the kidneys. Violent burning fevers often follow.

The ☽ in ♏ in ☌, &c. ♂.--There is generally some ulcer, lues, gonorrhea, &c., or, if a child, measles; it may be piles, or hemorrhoids. There is frequently some stoppage in the head by grievous colds; and as the blood is corrupt, so we find blotches, breakings out, &c. If there be reason to believe it, some scandalous disease may be judged, especially if ♀ afflict ☽.

The ☽ in ♐ in ☌, &c. ♂.--The disease is in general violent,

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and caused by gluttony or repletion. There is fever frequently very high, or choleric passion; but the pulse is often faint, and beats slow and feeble. Inordinate exercise has frequently been the cause of the disease; and he suffers pestilent fever, &c. It shews hand and foot gout, breakings out, sore throat, &c., and, at times, sore and inflamed eyes. Also, hurts by horses.

The ☽ in ♑ in ☌, &c. ♂.--Nausea abounds, vomiting and flux. A puffing up of the sinews, (such as cholera cramps), inflammation of the breast, and humours in the hands or fingers. The face is yellow and sunken, the body extremely wasted, and the blood corrupt. The pulse remits, and is slow. The yellow jaundice happens under these aspects.

The ☽ in ♒ in ☌, &c. ♂.--If ☽ be slow in motion, and decreasing in light, the disease proceeds from sharp and violent affections, or vehement passions. There is pain at the heart, swooning fits, high pulse, great pain in the chest, and much difficulty in breathing.

The ☽ in ♓ in ☌, &c. ♂, The body is full of gross humours, the disease is from too much drinking and excess, and is most prevalent in the night time. The party is troubled with a kind of delirium, (frequently it shews that they are yet drunk), they have vehement thirst, sharp burning fevers, and are desirous of wine. They have generally a looseness and much pain in the bowels, or a violent cough and great expectoration, and are almost suffocated with phlegm; the body is swollen, and there is danger of dropsy. ¹

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Click to enlarge
Fig 12.

QUESTION. A sick Doctor, what is his Disease? Is it curable?

To learn what part of the body is affected, observe that, as the ascendant is not afflicted, you mast look to the 6th house, and see if it be so. Therein we find ♄ in his fall; and as he naturally signifies diseases by his presence, I concluded that, from thence and that house I must require the part aggrieved.

♈ represents the head.

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♄ in ♈ shews the breast. ¹

♂, lord of the ascendant, in ♌, signifies the heart. ¹ The Lord of the ascendant has just separated from a ☐ of ♄, being at that time in ♋, which signifies and rules over the breast and stomach. From all these testimonies I concluded that the parts of the body grieved were the head, breast, heart, and stomach; and that there was lodged in the breast or stomach some obstruction, which caused all his disease and suffering.

From what Cause the Sickness was.

The principal significator being ♄, and he in his own terms, and ☽ disposed of by him and applying to him, shewed such diseases as he causes, and which might exist in the head and breast. ♂, lord of the ascendant, was also in the terms of ♄, and applied to ☐ of ☉, who was in the terms of ♂. So that dry, melancholy diseases were shewn by ♄, and heat or fever by ♂. And, indeed, when I came to speak to him, he was suffering great pain and rumbling in his head, was very silent, dull, and melancholy; he slept very little, had a very dry cough, and complained of great weakness and pain in his breast and at his heart. His complexion was between black and yellow, as if inclined to jaundice; and he had also a lingering consumption and great weariness all over him, with pains in his joints, shewn by ☽ in an airy sign. The ascendant is ♏, which signifies the secrets, stone in the bladder, &c.; so the ☽ in ♒ shews the secrets and diseases therein, &c. Hence he had great difficulty in making water, voided red gravel, and suffered great pain in those parts.

Whether the Disease would be curable or not?

The author of the disease being ♄, shewed it would be of

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some continuance, for he is a slow ponderous planet; besides, the angles of the figure are all fixed, and the lord of the ascendant, ☉, and ☽, are all in fixed signs. The lights are in ☐ aspect to each other from angles, and both in the terms of an evil planet; and the lord of the 6th in a fixed sign: all these shewed a long disease. The ☽ being in the 4th in aspect to ♄ in the 6th, and applying to ☐ of ☉, who has dignities in the 6th, and the lord of the 4th in the 6th, and lord of the 8th in the 8th, the testimonies were strong for his death: he died the 14th August following.

Click to enlarge
Fig 13.

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QUESTION.--What is the Disease? and will the Patient live or die? 

The ascendant is ♍, and it is afflicted by the presence of ♂, who is partly lord of the 8th house, as great part of ♈ is already therein. Hence from the ascendant chiefly we must learn the cause and nature of the disease, and part afflicted. A fixed sign ♒ is on the 6th, afflicted by ☋, and ♄, lord of the 6th, is in ♉, an earthy sign, of the same nature as ♍, the ascendant. The ☽, a general significator in all diseases, is also in ♍ in ☌ with ♂. All these shewed the patient to be greatly afflicted with the spleen, cholic, and obstructions in his bowels, small fever, flatulence, and a failing weak pulse. And as the ☽ and ♂ are in the ascendant, the patient was perplexed with distempers in the head, slept unquietly, &c. (All which was true.)

Will the Patient live or die?

All the significators promised death.

1st. ☉, light of time, was in close ☐ to ♄, lord of the 6th in fixed signs.

2d. The ascendant was extremely afflicted by presence of ♂, he being lord of nearly all the 8th house.

3d. The ☽ was afflicted by ♂ in the house of life.

4th. The ☽ separated from the ✶ of ☿, lord of the ascendant, in signs of long ascension, and did transfer his light to ♃, lord of the 4th and 8th houses, denoting death and the grave.

N.B.--The patient died the 28th of the month, when ☿ came to the ☐ of ♄ and ☌ of ☉ in the figure. The ☽ came then to ☍ ☉, and had transited the cusp of the 6th house of the day preceding, viz. ♒ 14°.

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A TABLE
SHEWING WHAT PARTS OF MAN'S BODY EVERY PLANET SIGNIFIES IN THE TWELVE SIGNS.

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The DISEASES each PLANET naturally signifies when it becomes the afflictor, and is posited in any of the TWELVE SIGNS.

DISEASES OF SATURN.

♄ in ♈ signifies rheum, melancholy, vapours, cold in the head, obstructions, stoppage in the stomach, pains in the teeth, deafness, &c.

♄ in ♉ signifies swelling in the neck and throat, king's evil, scurvy, hoarseness, melancholy, and chronic distempers about the neck and throat.

♄ in ♊ signifies infirmities incident to the arms and shoulders, consumption, black jaundice, and diseases proceeding from bad blood.

♄ in ♋ denotes phthisic, ulcerations in the lungs, obstructions and bruises in the breast, ague, scurvy, cancer, &c.

♄ in ♌ signifies the heart afflicted by grief or poison, consumption of the reins or inward parts, vapours, weakness, and pains in the back, &c.

♄ in ♍ shews the blood corrupted, obstructions in the bowels, costiveness, weakness in the thighs, melancholy, gripings, stone, &c.

♄ in ♎ shews the blood corrupted, back and kidneys distempered, strangury, consumptive pains in the knees and thighs, sciatica and gout.

♄ in ♏ denotes swellings or distempers of the secret parts, melancholy, piles, palsy, gout in the hands and feet.

♄ in ♐ signifies weakness in the hips and thighs, old aches and bruises in those parts, and sciatica or gout.

♄ in ♑ denotes the gout in the lower parts, pains and obstructions in the head, ague, &c.

♄ in ♒ signifies disorders in the head and teeth, defects in the ears, pains in the joints, bruises, swellings in the legs, and sometimes a sore throat.

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♄ in ♓ gives defluxions of rheum, king's evil, consumption, all distempers of the feet and toes, such as the gout, and illness by colds.

DISEASES OF JUPITER.

♃ in ♈ produces distempers in the head, a quinsy or swelling in the throat, chiefly from ill blood in the veins of the head; and causes strange dreams and imaginations.

♃ in ♉ brings distempers in the throat, wind in the blood, gripings in the bowels, and goutish humours in the hands and arms.

♃ in ♊.--A pleurisy, or some disorder of the reins.

♃ in ♋ gives the dropsy, the stomach offended, bad appetite, corrupt blood, scurvy, surfeits, &c.

♃ in ♌ indicates a fever, pleurisy, the heart ill affected.

♃ in ♍ indicates a consumption, obstructions of the lungs, melancholy, cold and dry liver.

♃ in ♎ shews the patient hath too much blood, whence arise obstructions, corrupt blood, fever, piles, tumours, inflammations, &c.

♃ in ♏ signifies the strangury, piles, the blood discharged with watery humours, whence arise dropsy, &c.

♃ in ♐ denotes some choleric distemper, arising from putrefaction of the blood; a fever, pains and swellings about the knees, &c.

♃ in ♑.--The patient is afflicted with melancholy, obstructions in the throat, &c.

♃ in ♒.--The blood abounds too much, whence it is corrupted, and many diseases and flying pains afflict the body. It gives lumbago.

♃ in ♓.--The blood is too thin and waterish, which breeds dropsy.

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DISEASES OF MARS.

♂ in ♈ signifies the patient is almost distracted with a violent pain in his head, rheum in the eyes, want of rest, &c.

♂ in ♉ denotes extreme pain in the throat and neck, king's evil, weakness in the loins, and the gravel or stone.

♂ in ♊ shews the blood is corrupted; itch, breakings out, surfeit, fever, pains in the arms and shoulders, disorders in the secret parts, strangury, &c.

♂ in ♋ indicates pains in the breast and stomach, a dry cough, or a tumour in the thighs: accidents to the feet.

♂ in ♌ denotes affliction at the heart, choleric humours, gravel in the kidnies, pain in the knees, &c.

♂ in ♍ signifies choleric humours, obstructions in the bowels, bloody flux, worms in children, humours in the legs.

♂ in ♎ produces diseases in the reins and kidnies, stone or gravel, urine hot, lues, &c., as may be suspected.

♂ in ♏ shews a suspicion of some venereal distemper, or ulcer in the secret parts, pains in the bladder, pains in the head, overflowing of courses, &c.

♂ in ♐ produces pain or ulcers in the hips and thighs by humours settled in those parts, and an extreme heat in the mouth and throat.

♂ in ♑ denotes lameness in the knees, hands, or arms, or a flying gout.

♂ in ♒ signifies blood over-heated, pains in the legs, surfeit, or fever.

♂ in ♓ gives lameness in the feet, by corrupt humours settled there; sometimes the heart is afflicted, &c.

DISEASES OF THE SUN.

☉ in ♈ produces sore eyes, megrims, head disturbed. fevers, &c.

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☉ in ♉ denotes tumours in the knees, quinsy or sore throat, breakings out and swellings in those parts.

☉ in ♊.--Blood inflamed, pestilential fevers, breakings out in several parts of the body, scurvy, pains and weakness in the legs.

☉ in ♋ shews the measles or small pox, a disordered stomach, hoarseness, dropsy or swelling in the feet.

☉ in ♌ indicates violent pains in the head, madness, stone, pains in the back, plague, spotted fever.

☉ in ♍ produces humours in the bowels, obstructions in the stomach, bloody flux, sore throat, or swellings in the neck.

☉ in ♎.--Inflammation of the blood, pains in the arms and shoulders, stone and gravel, the venereal distemper, &c.

☉ in ♏ indicates distempers in the secret parts, sharpness of urine, obstructions in the stomach, and female courses; also phlegmatiæ dolens.

☉ in ♐.--The thighs are afflicted by hot humours; a fistula, fevers, swoonings, &c.

☉ in ♑ signifies lameness about the knees, bowels disordered, and a fever.

☉ in ♒.--The blood inflamed, breakings out, reins disordered, gravel, stone, strangury, &c.

☉ in ♓.--The secret parts afflicted, strangury, and violent pains in those parts.

DISEASES OF VENUS.

♀ in ♈ indicates the disease is in the head from abundance of moist humours, lethargy, reins afflicted, and head disordered by cold.

♀ in ♉ signifies pain in the head or secret parts, swellings in the neck from moist humours in the head.

♀ in ♊ denotes a corrupted blood, king's evil, dropsy, and a flux of rheum

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♀ in ♋ shews the stomach is much offended with cold, raw, undigested humours; many times with a surfeit, &c.

♀ in ♌.--Some ill affection of the heart, love passion, &c., pains in the legs, of bad consequence.

♀ in ♍ shews some distemper in the bowels, a flux, or the worms, mucus in the bowels.

♀ in ♎ denotes a gonorrhea or distemper in the reins, or surfeit by too plentiful eating or drinking, and windy disorders.

♀ in ♏ produces some venereal distemper, and pain in the private parts, &c.

♀ in ♐.--Hip gout, surfeits, cold and moist humours.

♀ in ♑ produces gout in the knees and thighs, and swellings in those parts.

♀ in ♒.--Pains and swellings in the legs or knees from a cold cause, and the heart afflicted.

♀ in ♓ indicates lameness in the feet, swellings in the legs, a flux, windy complaints, &c.

DISEASES OF MERCURY.

☿ in ♈ shews the disease lies in the head and brain, vertigo and spasms in the head, and sometimes disorders of the womb.

☿ in ♉ produces defects in the throat, swellings in the neck, hoarseness, and also pain in the feet.

☿ in ♊ signifies windiness in the blood, gouty pains in the head, arms, &c.

☿ in ♋ produces a cold stomach, gripings, windiness, distillation of rheum, lameness in the legs and knees from colds, &c.

☿ in ♌ indicates tremblings, melancholy, pains in the back, occasioned by colds caught in the feet.

☿ in ♍ imports much wind in the bowels, obstructions, pains in the head, short breath, and wind cholic.

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☿ in ♎ shews stoppage of urine, obstructions, blood disordered; breast, lungs, and reins afflicted.

☿ in ♏ denotes distempers in the secret parts, afflictions of the bowels, running pains in the arms and shoulders.

☿ in ♐ shews distempers in the reins, weakness in the back, stoppage at the stomach, coughs, swellings in the hips and thighs.

☿ in ♑ denotes stoppage of urine, goutish humours above the knees, pains in the back, melancholy, &c.

☿ in ♒ imports wind in the blood, running pains in different parts of the body, fluxes and disorders in the bowels.

☿ in ♓ signifies pains in the head, weakness in the legs and feet, a gonorrhea, or a distemper in the reins, &c.

DISEASES OF THE MOON.

☽ in ♈ signifies convulsions, defluxions of rheum from the head, lethargy, weakness in the eyes, and pains in the knees.

☽ in ♉ produces pains in the legs and feet, swellings, stoppage in and sore throat, &c.

☽ in ♊ denotes a wandering gout in the legs, arms, hands, and feet, surfeits, and great obstructions.

☽ in ♋ shews the stomach much afflicted, a surfeit, small-pox, convulsions, falling sickness, tympany, or dropsy.

☽ in ♌.--The heart afflicted, sore throat, quinsy, king's evil, &c.

☽ in ♏ signifies great pain and disorders in the bowels, melancholy blood, obstructions, weakness in the arms and shoulders.

☽ in ♎ denotes the reins are distempered, obstructions in the stomach, weakness in the back, whites in women, surfeits, pleurisy, &c.

☽ in ♏ shews the distemper is in the secrets, small-pox, dropsy, poison, the heart afflicted, swoonings, &c.

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☽ in ♐ imports lameness or weakness in the thighs, distempers in the bowels, &c.

☽ in ♑ signifies the stone, weak back, gout in the knees, whites in women, &c.

☽ in ♒ signifies hysterics, swellings, and pains in the legs and secret parts.

☽ in ♓ shews cold taken in the feet, and body disordered thereby; swellings in the legs, dropsies, and the body over-charged with moist humours. ¹

Footnotes

158:1 If the illness be produced by an accident, then take the time at which it occurred.

159:1 Our author adds, "or when first the urine was brought to him." This makes it evident that the water doctors, as they were termed, even until a very recent period, had recourse to astrology to ascertain the nature and result of their patients' diseases. We are quite sure, from long experience, that these may be accurately learned by the science; and we believe that many medical men call it to their aid even now. The day is coming when this will be generally the case.

159:2 In all cases where the ☽ is afflicted by either ♄ or ♂, we should regard the rules for that situation as of the chief importance; we have ever known them fail.

161:1 For the diseases signified by the signs, see CHAPTER XV; and for those of the planets, see the nature, &c. of each, at page 35.

161:2 ♅ causes all uncommon and extraordinary complaints; or gives remarkable features to the sickness.

166:1 We should say, if it be in ♋, where ☽ disposes of ☉, it is not so evil.

169:1 The student may rely that he will find these rules, when they apply, to be infallible.--ZADKIEL.

171:1 These latter especially, if ♀ throw an ill aspect, or the lord of the 5th house.

171:2 We can speak personally as to this effect. We were taken ill in the evening of the 1st March, 1829, when ☽ was in ♑, 19°, and ♄ in ♋ 28°, and we suffered extremely during the night, and had violent pains in the left side of the head, and sensations of noises, as of the working of the piston of a steam-engine. A fever ensued, which confined us to bed for three weeks, having caught cold after taking mercury. The direction in our nativity was M.C. ☌ ☉, who, being in ☌ with ♂ at birth, partook of his ill qualities, and afflicted the ascendant by his mundane square.

172:1 This till ☽ is past ☍ of her own place, when, if there be good aspects the sick is recoverable.

172:2 Especially wet feet, damp linen, &c.

174:1 Where various diseases are named, the student must look to other testimonies to ascertain the exact complaint.

176:1 This will be seen by the Table at the end of this chapter.

186:1 This table is taken from the old Arab writers on astrology, who flourished many centuries back: they used many terms inconsistent with the modern nomenclature of diseases; but as the human frame is still the same, so are its diseases, though called by different names. Thus, Mercury in Aquarius is said to cause "wind in the blood," by which, we presume, was meant spasmodic action, arising from debility.