Physician's journal Lore Books

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Physician’s notes.

Text

Book of NotesMarch 4 - Transfer of St. Wenceslas / Translatio sancti Wenceslai

Mr. Chamberlain Ulrich was here again, but this time he did not come to quarrel with me, but on the contrary came running with a plea. His stomach is bothering him. After a short examination I immediately knew that he was suffering from a stomach ulcer, but I had not forgotten the unprecedented humiliation he had caused me, so instead of a professional diagnosis, I muttered something about Galen and the body fluids, threw up my hands helplessly and escorted him out. Since he thinks I’m a dim-witted ignoramus, he probably expected nothing better from me and settled for my little lie.

April 14 - Feast of Saints Valerianus and Tiburcius / Tyburcii et Valeriani martyrum

I caught the maid, Katherine, rummaging through my things in my storeroom across from the lab. As I have a constant supply of decoctions, tinctures and medicines in my chest, the unprofessional use of which can be dangerous, she may be glad I only scolded her.

Although I have to admit, she’s got it in for me. In the middle of my lecture on the dangers of nightshade extract, I found myself staring at her plump cleavage. Let’s just say I let the rest of her transgressions go unnoticed. But I’ll be locking the chest carefully from now on, as well as the chest with raw materials I keep right next to my apparatus.

April 23 - Bishop St. Adalbert / Adalberti episcopi et martyrum

Chamberlain Ulrich was here again, this time quite unpleasant and threatening. He said that if I couldn’t deal with his problem, I have nothing to do at Trosky. I told him that his problem was quite rare (which obviously flattered him) and that I could only treat common ailments. His problem would need a real physician. And since I flattered him and made a fool of myself, he was satisfied with my explanation.
But he demanded that I recommend someone. I sent him to Kolin to see Professor Joachim Bavorsky, who is known to be a rather eccentric astrologer. The meeting of these two figures will certainly be amusing, I almost wish I could see it.
I cannot prolong the sufferings of this pompous snob indefinitely, however, as it might turn against me. Next time I’ll make him my digestive potion. Two handfuls of thistle, some nettle leaves and a little charcoal, which in small quantities is known to aid digestion, will do the trick.

April 30 - Octave of St. Adalbert / Octava sancti Adalberti

The scribe Erazim lay down with a fever, which probably came from an inflamed wound on his right hand. I have thus an occasion to try my new decoction against the fevers which accompany inflammations of various kinds. It’s a simple decoction made from ingredients that are quite readily available. The decoction is prepared from boiled wine, three parts of feverfew, two parts of grated ginger and one part of elderberry leaves.

I got the ginger in the castle kitchen, although it was a struggle because the chest with the precious spices is locked and has had a broken lock on it for years. But the cooks were unusually kind and gave me a good measure. The rest I kept well in storage, as the last of my supply had mysteriously disappeared.

Fortunately, the feverfew grows right in the forecourt, on the terrace on the path to the lower gate. I’m not a herbalist, so I had a bit of trouble finding it, as it looks almost identical to chamomile. As for the elderberry leaves, I visited the carpenter above the upper gate. I know well that they dye their cloth in secret right behind the workshop and then sell it around the village, so they have an abundance of elderberry leaves.

May 2 - Sigismund the Martyr / Sigismundi Regis et Martyris

Erazim the scribe was with me again. The fever had apparently subsided, but he demanded my tonic again. He said the fever keeps coming back at night, which is not unusual, but my tonicum should not be given lightly. I therefore gave him another dose, but warned him that it was the last. He made a rather strange face and then proceeded to question me rather clumsily about the composition of the tonic.

I didn’t tell him that, of course. So I gave him some talk about the domes of Mars and the phases of the moon, so that it was clear that without a scholar of my capacity he would not prepare any miraculous concoction. I wonder when he’ll come again.