Overview

Astrology is a form of divination based on the assumption that the motions of the heavenly bodies influence human affairs. Therefore, astrologers claim that they can predict the future by observing and interpreting the positions of the stars, sun, moon, and planets. During the Middle Ages, the relationship between medicine and astrology was very close. Medieval astrologers blamed disease epidemics on dangerous combinations of the planets and studied the motions of the heavenly bodies as a guide to the treatment of individual patients. The practice of astrological medicine required knowledge of the astrological correspondences among the seven planets, the seven metals, and parts of the body. Even in the twenty-first century medical astrology practitioners continue to claim that they can predict potential illnesses and select the best time for surgery.

Background

Astrologers believe that by interpreting the influence of the heavenly bodies they...