Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2012 21:43:05 -0600
From: dnrock@rock.com
Subject: Arden's Saga 19

Arden's Saga
by:  dnrock(dnrock@rock.com)

A short reminder: Nifty needs help in the form of financial support.  It is
easy to do, just click the link on nifty landing page. That help keeps the
stories coming.  Also just a reminder this story is sexually explicit and
involves youths and adults.  If that offends or is illegal then you know
what to do.

19:  Playing A Role

1317, 9th month, 23th day:

Today, a delegation of the Physicians, Midwives, Pharmacists, Herbalists
and Civil Ingegneres appeared before the council, for the third and final
day.  The room was filled with scribes, scholars, guild representatives and
knights.  All of our pages were present, seated in positions behind the
presenters and council members.  They would move documents from one place
to another.  Iason had increased the page core from 6 to 10 just a few
weeks ago, when we took charge of their training.  He also moved them into
our new and larger apartments.

I made sure the Arden's Boys were seated in the gallery along with some
important military people and senior "civil servants".

Uncle Iason asked me to present a summary of the medial philosophy as
expressed over the past two days.  "I have asked our Princes to play the
role of recanters on this subject, as much of the material is new to them,
they should not have formed fixed ideas as most of us have."  My report is
more or less as follows:

Medicine seems to be a changing mixture of the scientific and the
spiritual, Including divination.  In the past, following the fall of the
Roman Empire in the west the medical knowledge outside of Parga was based
chiefly upon surviving Greek and Roman texts, preserved in monasteries and
elsewhere.  In the East most knowledge has been preserved, however not all
that much progress has been made toward new knowledge.  Ideas about the
origin and cure of disease are not, however, purely secular, but are also
based on a spiritual world view, in which factors such as destiny, sin, and
astral influences play as great a part as any physical cause.  This sits in
opposition to our Aristotelian approach and background.  We are also
fortunate to have an excellent collection of these ancient writings.  We
have always tempered spiritual beliefs with observation and experience.

Since before the fall of Rome, the distraction of libraries by barbarians
and religious factions, there was no single, organized, standard of
medicine.  Except for us, and our studies have been small but persistent.
Outside Parga someone struck down by injury or disease can turn to folk
medicine, prayer, astrology, spells, mysticism, or to an established
physician, if such is available to him.  Here everyone has the same options
but a physician is and has always been available.  Classical texts, such as
those by Galen, are widely used here as elsewhere, but on a different
basis.  Where others use them as authority rather than experimental
confirmation; we use them a guide or starting point for observation and
experimentation.

Outside of Parga, as Christianity grew in influence, a tension developed
between the church and folk-medicine, since much in folk medicine was
magical, or mystical, and had its basis in sources that were not compatible
with Christian faith.  Spells and incantations are often used in
conjunction with herbs and other remedies for example.  Such spells had to
be separated from the physical remedies, or replaced with Christian prayers
or devotions. (TN: Arden seems to lump prayers and spells as the same.)

Similarly, the dependence upon the power of herbs or gems needed to be
explained through Christianity.  We have known for a very long time that
faith is often an important factor in illness treatment outcomes.  We have
shown that effective treatments are also independent of belief; but if an
effective treatment is believed useful, the results are more often than
not, positive.  For some maladies that are not life threatening, belief in
a charm or potent is often enough to cause improvement, even if the charm
or potent is nothing more than water or a small pebble.

The religious ones teach that the God or gods often sent illness as a
punishment, and that repenting would cure all ills. This leads to the
practice of sacrifice, penance and pilgrimage as a means of curing illness.

Here we teach that no explanation is required if a nostrum or potent
produces results.  Spells, incantations, sacrifices, prayers, devotions or
penance is up to the beliefs of each.  The remedies, advice, methods and
potent that prove reliable are used independently.

A unified theory of medicine is beginning to develop, based largely on the
writings of the Greek physicians such as Hippocrates and Galen, and others.
Hippocrates wrote about diseases, surgery, and bone fractures as well as
human anatomy.  Galen wrote more than 500 treatises on physiology, hygiene,
dietetics, pathology, and pharmacology.  We continue to study and refine
what has gone before.

Dioscorides' Herbal and compendiums like Bald's Leechbook, include
citations from a variety of classical works alongside local folk remedies
from the Anglo Saxons and others.  In the Byzantine Empire the organized
practice of medicine never ceased and we have access to it.  The Salernitan
masters gradually established a canon of writings, known as the ars
medicinae (art of medicine) or articella (little art), which became the
basis of other European medical education.  We use this and have combined
them with our own and other historical works as our basis.

From the founding of the Universities of Paris (1110), Bologna (1158),
Oxford, (1167), Montpelier, (1181) and Padua (1222), the initial work of
Salerno was extended, giving medical leadership to these newer
institutions.  Our new university can qualify a Doctor of Medicine in 5
years, not ten, as our arts training is completely covered in the
intermediate schooling, all of us receive. The numbers of such fully
qualified physicians remains comparatively small outside Parga.  Here we
graduate as many as are needed and while small in total number, represents
a good sized group in relation to our total population.

Our scholars have shown that the principles of the four humors are not
wrong but not necessarily accurate in all instances.  The idea that
sickness is caused by an imbalance between the four is viewed as a result,
not a cause.  If the balance can be resorted the sickness will leave, it is
the cause or agent of imbalance that is often not known or fully
understood.

In Parga, as many women are involved in the practice of medicine as men.
Mostly as midwives, and nurses.  However, the professionalization of
medicine (guilds) and the development of university faculties of medicine,
still exclude women from the profession.  Abbess Hildegard of Bingen wrote
the Liber Simplicis Medicinae (Simple Book of Medicine) around 1160.
Another famous woman physician was the Italian Trotula, whose works on
women's ailments spread across Europe.  Here women continue to function as
midwives, nurses and we Princes urge you to include them as doctors in your
guilds and our university.

Our physicians and surgeons use the ancient Greek method of tying off blood
vessels.  We also use spirit soaked thread or horse hair to tie off blood
vessels and close wounds.  After amputation, the common procedure in other
places, is to cauterize the open end of the amputated appendage to stop the
hemorrhaging.  This is done by heating oil, water, or metal and touching it
to the wound to seal off the blood vessels.  We also believed in dressing
wounds with clean bandages and ointments, including such thing as eggs, oil
of roses, and turpentine.  Our ingegneres have designed artificial hands
and limbs for amputation patients.

We must all work together to improve the general health of our citizens.
All our citizens, including women and children.  It is our belief that
Parga's children are this state's greatest treasure.

All agreed this was a fair summary.  Iason was asked to review diseases or
pestilence and make recommendations for what should be done to enhance the
general health of our state.

Dysentery (the "bloody flux")

A malady thought to spread through contamination of food and water, perhaps
by faecal matter.

Symptoms: After 1-6 days incubation, watery stools, fever, cramps,
dehydration.  In advanced stages, bloody stools, meningitis,
conjunctivitis, and arthritis.  Acute form: watery, bloody stools, cramps,
fever, weakness. Chronic form: intermittent diarrhea, mild abdominal
discomfort.

Result: Generally weakened condition.

(Note: Endemic in armies and common in cities.  Infantile diarrhea is a
leading cause of death for infants. )

Ergotism ("St. Anthony's fire," "holy fire," "evil fire," "devil's fire,"
"saints' fire")

Poisoning from spoiled grain, especially rye.

Symptoms: (Convulsive) Degeneration of the nervous system causes anxiety,
vertigo, aural/visual hallucinations, and the sensation of being bitten or
burned; stupor, convulsions, and psychosis. (Gangrenous) Constriction of
the blood vessels causes reddening and blistering of skin, then blackening,
with itching and burning, and finally necrosis.

Result: 40% mortality. Lingering symptoms, including thinking impairment,
among survivors.

(Note: Ergotism is known as a rural disease, particularly of marshy areas,
and one that followed crop damage or famine; especially after a severe
winter and a rainy spring.  Children are more susceptible probably because
of their smaller size.  Not common here as we grow no rye and are a much
dryer climate.  Mouldy grain should not be eaten or given to livestock.)

Gonorrhoea

A genital tract problem, apparently transmitted through sexual contact.

Symptoms: (Male) After 2-8 days of contact, urgency and burning sensation
on urination, profuse discharge of pus.  Inflammation of prostate and
seminal vesicles may lead to fever and urinary retention. (Female) After
2-8 days of contact, mild urethritis; or may be entirely asymptotic.
Sometimes it appears in the upper tract, acute fever and abdominal pain.
It may invade, probably the bloodstream and produce reactions in other
parts of the body, most commonly arthritis; the sufferer develops fever and
hot, swollen, painful joints.  Women with gonorrhoea are through to pass it
to their babies on delivery, it seems to cause blindness.

Results: In males, symptoms subside in several weeks; in females, a month
or two.  May result in infertility for both males and females.

Treatment: We have not cure for this however drinking the waters from
Apollo's Temple when combined with the juice of lemons and other herbs
seems to be helpful if taken at the first signs.

Influenza.

An acute, extremely contagious condition of the upper chest, is thought to
spread by breath.

Symptoms: After 1-2 days, a sudden onset of chills and fever, headache,
backache, muscular aches, and general malaise; weakness, prostration,
nausea, eye pain, mental confusion. After 1-5 days the respiratory symptoms
become more prominent: dry or sore throat, cough, runny nose.  Serious
complications include bronchitis and bacterial pneumonia.

Leprosy ("lepry")

Transmitted by breath or contact, leading to disfigurement.

Symptoms: After a time, facial features begin to coarsen and the voice
becomes hoarse.  Eruptions of the skin and eyes begin as pale spots that
turn into red, raised, firm nodules.  Skin spots are insensitive to cold,
touch, and pain; hands and feet lose feeling and eventually muscle weakness
and paralysis set in, usually in the face and hands.  Lesions or unnoticed
wounds become gangrenous.  Blindness often occurs.  The nose decays.  The
hands and feet become clawed.

Results: Eventual, ugly, lingering, friendless death, sometimes taking over
20 years.

Fortunately a very rare thing in Parga.  The most sulphurous waters from
Apollo's Temple are used to forestall disfigurement.  This is combined with
exposure to the sun for long periods.  Good results have been reported from
this combination.

Malaria ("the ague")

A disease thought to spread by mosquitoes or other insects.  Not common
here but not unknown.

Symptoms: Shaking chills, then high fever, severe headache.  After several
hours the sufferer begins sweating profusely; then the headache and fever
disappear.  Attacks recur every other day (a "tertian" fever) or three days
(a "quartan" fever).  Weakness.

Results: Survivable.

(Notes: Chronic in southern and low-lying areas of Europe, including
southern and eastern England.  The name "malaria" comes from the Italian
for "bad air," which was and in some places is believed to cause the
disease.  We believe the agency of mosquitoes or other insects as they are
the one common feature between all places, including Parga, that have this
malady and are always reported to be active when malaria is present.)

Measles

A mild, highly contagious disease transmitted by breath.

Symptoms: After 7-14 days, cold like symptoms develop (runny nose, dry
cough, high fever, aching, plus inflamed and sensitive eyes).  Around the
third day, bright red spots appear inside the mouth.  Day four:
characteristic red rash; slightly raised and mildly itchy; starts on face
and spreads over the rest of the body.  Fever and rash begin to depart
after a few more days.

Results: Survivable; complications can include blindness and heart or brain
damage.

Occurs mostly in late winter and early spring.

Puerperal fever ("childbed fever")

Symptoms: Chills, high fever, abdominal pain, nausea; possible spread to
rest of body.

Results: Chances of mortality variable.  Possible infertility in survivors.

Smallpox (the "red plague")

A severe, highly contagious disease transmitted by breath.

Symptoms: After 12 days, high fever, chills, severe headache and backache,
and general malaise.  Hemorrhages may occur in lungs or other organs.
After 4 more days a distinctive itchy rash of red lesions appears on face,
arms, legs, and sometimes the trunk.  The bumps become pus-filled blisters;
they break and begin to dry up in about 9 days but can be persistent.

Results: Mortality 25-30% for the severe form; 1% for the mild form.
Survivors have distinctive pitted scars and apparent complete immunity to
further occurrences.

(Notes: Varies in severity from a mild form with few skin lesions to a
highly fatal hemorrhagic form.  The majority of deaths occur in the second
week of the disease.)

We believe people with these breath related diseases should be isolated
from others until it passes.

Typhoid fever

Thought to be a result of human waste contamination of food and water.

Symptoms: Diarrhea, abdominal pain, high fever, blinding headache, cough,
exhaustion.  Patches of red on the abdomen.  Symptoms can last for
weeks. Complications include pneumonia, intestinal hemorrhage, and coma.

Results: 10-20% mortality.

"We do not know the causes of these things, some feel it is smells or bad
air, others some agent not identified.  Perhaps the Atomists are right and
it is small particles of something.  It does not matter.  All we can do is
take steps to prevent or limit.  Things that smell bad usually are,
eliminating them is a good idea anyway.  We know from history that good
waste disposal, quick and proper burial or cremation of the dead and other
measures, benefit us.

1. We should enhance and enlarge state and municipal clean water systems.
Improve human and animal waste disposal systems and methods.

2. Encourage cleanness in all ways and forms.

3. Isolate those that seem to spread their sickness to others, through
sharing of cups or utensils, cloth or air.

4. Keep our food supply plentiful and of high quality.

5. Prevent the introduction of diseases by visitors that appear sick on
arrival.

6. Keep the population density of our state and its' municipal centres from
increasing.

7. Enhance and enlarge our system of hospitals.

8. Prevent the introduction of rodents and vermin to our land.

9. Prince Arden and I recommend the medical guilds and our university admit
qualified women and grant them degrees.  If this means establishing a
special university for women and them forming their own guilds, so be it."

Now that information was exchanged and suggestions made, plans could be
constructed.

Later in the evening while Iason and I lay in our bed we could not help but
muse on these matters.  It was clear in other lands many were suffering
greatly.  As expressed in Salvo's letter, the church had failed and their
leadership had failed.  The church and the local nobles had been raising
taxes greatly in response to the inflation, caused by rapid population
growth for many years now.  Reports of growing peasant unrest have been
increasing to our Fathers since they were our age.  Not that the church or
lords had control of the weather, they did have control of things like
grain storage, and population growth in general and in cities specifically.
Times of shortage were not unknown to them.  France has seen such in 1304,
1305 and 1310 at least in some parts.

For peasants and city poor, suffering is a potential source of political
unrest.  Changing weather patterns, the ineffectiveness of governments and
religious leadership, which is often the same, in dealing with crises and a
population level at a historical high, makes this a time when there is
little margin for error.  They are also unable to restore order and
restrict lawlessness.

We will be tested in the future as our fathers were tested, as the leaders
in France and other places, but we were just not sure how or when.  We were
sure, as a society, we would and could meet most any challenges presented.
And if we failed it would not be from lack of planning, preparation and
leadership.

The one thing we resolved between, our feels, kisses and mutual comfort
was; if our situation ever got so difficult that children were being
abandoned and left to starve, we would be the first to see they were cared
for.  If it would mean giving up our own food and caring for them
ourselves, so be it.

I am still the most beautiful boy in the kingdom as Iason tells me every
day, sometimes several times a day.  I think he is not seeing clearly but
is blinded by his affection and perhaps lust.  As for me he is my equal and
I know I am not blinded but deeply in love.  Our conversation was so
emotionally taxing that even with his continual efforts I was not erect
until we stopped talking, that is.  He lay is head on my shoulder his lean
strong body half on me.  His hands in constant contact with my penis.  He
suckled at my breast and licked my neck, nibbled my ears and kissed my
lips.  I could feel his stiff penis pressing against my leg and I wanted
him.  His penis is long and straight.  It is not fatter or slimmer but
equal along it length with a wide read arrow at the end.  His buttocks are
round and hard with hollows on either side and he like myself is powerful
of shoulders and legs.  His penis has blue veins lacing its exterior and is
very sensitive to my touch of hand or lips.

I pulled him to myself and spread my legs wide so he could easily fit
between.  Placing my legs on his wide shoulders he entered me and I
immediately entered a state of euphoria.  After filling my rectum with his
seed, we licked my seed from each other's bodies.

Tomorrow we will again sleep in the page's bedchamber with our charges.  It
is an important part of their training, one we both enjoy, as do they.  Not
that the older pages and our guardians don't keep them occupied and filled
with ejaculate.  It is our desire to build the strongest possible bonds
with them.  All of them but especially our three younger brothers.


1317, 9th month, 25th day:

Today we received another letter from abroad.  This one is a more regular
occurrence.  Dario, has faithfully written to us for most of the past four
years.  His letters are never coded as they are sent by Lugo's family
ships.  He does not write to us but to our fathers.  They have been sharing
them with us and including our responses with their own on the return.

I asked Iason what he made of this?  "I am not completely sure of the
implications but it is clear that Dario is seeking a wife and is asking
Father to arrange one for him.  Lugo is giving his share of the Apollo's
Temple Inn to him as a wedding present.  It looks like our brother Abernath
is to have a new business partner."

True but I get the sense that Dario is less than happy about this and that
he and Lugo have some misgivings.  I take it that Lugo's family is
pressuring him to take full control of the business and to also seek a
wife.  It would appear that Lugo is less than happy about his families
choice for him.

"What about this young cousin of his mother who he wishes to see in our
university?  Certainly they have good schools, church run ones at that, in
Venice."

We must respond quickly expressing our great joy at his imminent marriage
and Dario's desire to seek a wife here and not in Venice.  We must invite
Lugo and his new wife for a visit and to attend Dario's wedding.  "Aye
brother and while you put pen to paper I shall seek some explanation from
our fathers."

My beloved Iason has the most wonderful fragrance to his body I have ever
experienced.  Would I live with my had under his kilt, to saver it every
moment of the day, would that be possible.  I have often wondered how our
fathers knew Iason and I would become so completely in love with other.  It
is clear that one can not be angry or jealous of that other who would and
does supply so complete pleasure.  Iason said to me the day we met that we
were expected to become lovers and that the pleasure was in the doing.  He
was correct and it has been, is, and looks to continue.