methods. For I have heard that sickness is an evil spirit which settles
in a man and torments him, because it is hungry, until it receives the
food that it wishes. And that one evil spirit or sickness feeds on
honey, another on olive oil, and a third on the excreta of animals. A
leech, therefore, should know first what spirit has settled in the sick
man, and then what kind of nourishment is required by that spirit, so
that it should not torture the patient."

The priest thought awhile and then answered,

"What sickness is and in what way it falls on the human body, I cannot
tell, O Ramses. But to thee I will explain, for Thou hast been
purified, how we govern ourselves in giving medicine.

"Suppose a given man to be sick in the liver. We priests know that the
liver is under the star Peneter-Deva, [Planet Venus] that the cure must
depend on that star.

"But here the sages are divided into two schools. Some assert that it
is necessary to give the man who is sick in his liver things over which
Peneter-Deva has influence, therefore copper, lapis lazuli, extract of
flowers, above all verbena and valerian, finally, various parts of the
body of the turtle-dove and the goat. Other leeches consider that when
the liver is diseased it is necessary to cure it with just the opposite
remedies, and the opponent of Peneter-Deva being Sebek, [Planet
Mercury] to give quicksilver, emerald, and agate, hazel-wood and
coltsfoot, also parts of the body of a toad and an owl rubbed into
powder.

"But this is not all, for it is necessary to think of the day, the
month, and the hour of the day, for each of these spaces of time are
under the influence of a star which must support or weaken the action
of the medicine. Besides, it is needful to remember what star and what
sign of the Zodiac rules the sick person. Only when the leech considers
all these can he prescribe an infallible remedy."

"And do ye help all sick people in the temple?"

The priest shook his head.

"No. The mind of man, which should take in all these details of which I
have spoken, makes mistakes very easily. And what is worse, envious
spirits, the geniuses of other temples, jealous of their fame,
frequently hinder the leech and destroy the effect of his medicines.
The result, therefore, may be that one patient will return to perfect
health, another simply grows better, while a third remains without
change, though there happen some who become still sicker, or even die
T