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Pustules, Pestilence and Pain: Tudor Treatments and Ailments of Henry VIII Kindle Edition

4.2 out of 5 stars 77 ratings

Henry VIII lived for 55 years and had many health issues, particularly towards the end of his reign.


In Pustules, Pestilence, and Pain, historian Seamus O'Caellaigh has delved deep into the documents of Henry's reign to select some authentic treatments that Henry's physicians compounded and prescribed to one suffering from those ailments.


Packed with glorious full-colour photos of the illnesses and treatments Henry VIII used, alongside primary source documents, this book is a treat for the eyes and is full of information for those with a love of all things Tudor. Each illness and accident has been given its own section in chronological order, including first-hand accounts, descriptions of the treatments and photographic recreations of the treatment and ingredients.


Author Interview


How did you go about researching the health of Henry?


I investigated the health of Henry VIII by working back from the better-known things about his conditions, then created a more detailed picture by adding letters from his court and the written works of his physicians. We know that his health affected the relationships he had with his six wives. Those relationships are notorious and the Tudors have become a well-known family because of it. Established Tudor history tells us the story of his life and some of the illnesses he had, but I wanted to go back to the people that saw him every day and to what they said about his fitness. From there, I studied the treatments his physicians used, using their written works.


How did you set up and take such stunning photos?


Henry VIII was visually impressive, many of those that visited his court said so in the letters they sent home. It is fitting that, if we are examining his health, the pictures would be equally impressive. My photographer did a wonderful job as they worked with me to capture images of the apothecary, Tudor medicine, and Tudor history. I compiled ingredients, made the treatments, and then spent hours over a series of days working to get everything as visually pleasing as possible. I am overwhelmed with how well my vision became the amazing photos in this book - a new and stunning way to look at Tudor life and the story of Henry VIII.


Was it difficult to find the primary sources on his illnesses?


It's not difficult to read about Henry VIII and the dramatic changes he made to the history of England and Europe. It is, however, more difficult to find primary sources about his illnesses and the treatments used. Physicians of the time did not keep the same sort of medical records that modern ones do. One source I used, in particular, is handwritten and stored in the Royal British Library, only available by requesting copies directly from them. The prescription book of Henry VIII took a while to find too, with many leads ending to dead ends. We are lucky that so many of correspondence to and from his court are recorded but it is a double-edged sword, as that increases the number of letters to look through to find the desired information.


What makes your book different to others on Henry's life?


The health of the monarch was at the forefront of many people's thoughts in the Tudor era. My book does not directly look at the six wives of Henry, the break with the Roman Catholic church, or the rebelling of the northern lords. Instead, it looks at the treatments of the Tudor period, those that Tudor Physicians recommended for a patient suffering from small-pox, fevers, and various injuries. The Tudor era was an important time in the history of medicine, filled with many advancements, and at the same time drawing off of the diagnostic practices of the past. While other books about Henry VIII look at the other aspects of his life, I have chosen to focus on his health and how this was a huge factor for the way his life played out.

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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Seamus O'Caellaigh has always been interested in the Tudor dynasty and the many uses of plants. He grew up learning about plants from his grandmother Anne Kelley and mother Diane Prickett. Their love of plants has manifested in Seamus through his love of being out in the wild looking for medicinal plants, through his spending lots of time in the family garden and through spending time in the woods in the Pacific Northwest. He is most often seen with his head down, looking at the plants along the path and not at what lies ahead.Having joined a pre-1600s recreation group, Seamus found a way to incorporate his love of the Tudors with a study of medicinal plants from that time period, along with the many herbal books written from the 1st century to the turn of the 17th century. Nothing makes Seamus happier than finding an obscure reference, or his son Jerrick bringing him a plant for "Dad's Plant Projects".His book, Pustules, Pestilence and Pain: Tudor Treatments and Ailments of Henry VIII is simply stunning.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0788X3MQW
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ MadeGlobal Publishing
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 13, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 11.3 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 143 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 77 ratings

About the author

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Seamus O'Caellaigh
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Seamus O’Caellaigh has always been interested in the Tudor dynasty and the many uses of plants. He grew up learning about plants from his grandmother Anne Kelley and mother Diane Prickett. Their love of plants has manifested in Seamus through his love of being out in the wild looking for medicinal plants, through his spending lots of time in the family garden and through spending time in the woods in the Pacific Northwest. He is most often seen with his head down, looking at the plants along the path and not at what lies ahead.

Having joined a pre-1600s recreation group, Seamus found a way to incorporate his love of the Tudors with a study of medicinal plants from that time period, along with the many herbal books written from the 1st century to the turn of the 17th century. Nothing makes Seamus happier than finding an obscure reference, or his son Jerrick bringing him a plant for “Dad’s Plant Projects.”

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
77 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be an interesting tome on historical medicine, serving as a fine introduction to Tudor medical practices. The book features beautiful pictures and is well written, making it easy to read.

13 customers mention "Information quality"13 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be an interesting tome on historical medicine, providing great research information and serving as a fine introduction to the subject of Tudor medicine.

"This is a beautifuly colorful and insightful book which goes into depth about the medical history of Henry the Eighth...." Read more

"...Beautifully written and illustrated! The subject matter was fascinating and totally accessible even for someone unfamiliar with the subject...." Read more

"This beautifully produced volume is a fine introduction to the subject of Tudor medicine, engagingly written...." Read more

"Such a fun and interesting peek into history and his life. I buy copies to give to my friends!" Read more

7 customers mention "Visual quality"7 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the visual elements of the book, noting its beautiful pictures and illustrations, with one customer specifically mentioning its colorful presentation.

"This is a beautifuly colorful and insightful book which goes into depth about the medical history of Henry the Eighth...." Read more

"This book was spectacular! Beautifully written and illustrated!..." Read more

"...Exquisite photography throughout the book of the herbs and utensils...." Read more

"...The book is beautiful with accompanying photographs that illuminate the medicines available at the time. Well done!" Read more

7 customers mention "Writing style"7 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, finding it well written and easy to read, with one customer noting the helpful transliteration from Tudor English to modern English.

"...I really appreciated the original text and the modern “translation” put together in this format...." Read more

"This book was spectacular! Beautifully written and illustrated!..." Read more

"...volume is a fine introduction to the subject of Tudor medicine, engagingly written...." Read more

"...I think this should be used in schools. It is vert well written, researched, and conveyed to us laymen of the history of pre 16th century...." Read more

Disappointed in quality of craftmanship
1 out of 5 stars
Disappointed in quality of craftmanship
I was so looking forward to getting this book. I bought it for my high school library. When I received it, I immediately opened it to look through it. I was very suprised to see that it had been printed completely upside down. The covers are beautiful. The insides, not so much. Even upside down, the print barely fits on the pages. Sending it back for refund.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2018
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This is a beautifuly colorful and insightful book which goes into depth about the medical history of Henry the Eighth. Purchased after listening to the Renaissance English History Podcast by Heather Teysko. I really appreciated the original text and the modern “translation” put together in this format. Not only does this show medical history, but in fact history of the English Language
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2017
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This book was spectacular! Beautifully written and illustrated! The subject matter was fascinating and totally accessible even for someone unfamiliar with the subject. I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in the Middle Ages or historical medicine. Very, very well-done!
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2018
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This beautifully produced volume is a fine introduction to the subject of Tudor medicine, engagingly written. That being said, there are some things that I as a researcher could have wished for, and perhaps these will be acted upon in future editions. None of the wonderful photographs or illustrations were captioned, and I found that problematic as a lay reader, simply because I had no clue of exactly what I was looking at. A showing of unnamed ingredients was a bit off-putting. I think the book could also have benefited by a glossary of medical terms (define "fistula," for instance) and unfamiliar Tudor English words. A listing of primary source material would also have been nice; what sources would the good King's physicians had at their disposal? There is a lot of room for growth here, and I hope the author continues to enrich us with his knowledge of the topic. But as a starting place, this book fulfills its function well, and is sure to be an enlightening and enjoyable read.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2023
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Such a fun and interesting peek into history and his life. I buy copies to give to my friends!
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2018
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Excellent information on some of the ills of Henry VIII. How the author presents prescriptions and the treatments makes medieval medicine an interesting read!!
    Exquisite photography throughout the book of the herbs and utensils. Also includes information on Henry VIII's interests like tennis, jousting and song writing. Great research information!!!!
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2017
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    An insightful view into Henry the VIII medical conditions and the treatments that may have been used to treat him. Using primary source material the author brings to life 16th century medicine. The book is beautiful with accompanying photographs that illuminate the medicines available at the time.

    Well done!
    4 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2020
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This book is amazing! It brought Henry 8ths era alive for me. I think this should be used in schools. It is vert well written, researched, and conveyed to us laymen of the history of pre 16th century. I loved how the old documents were translated. I highly recommend you buy this book.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2018
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    A clever treatment of research on Tudor-era medicine. Beautiful pictures.

Top reviews from other countries

  • Sarah Smith
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 20, 2017
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    What a gem of a book! If your interested in tudor medicine then this book is a must!
    Wonderfully presented, full of content and beautifully depicted.
  • Madeleine McLaughlin
    3.0 out of 5 stars Opening The Past
    Reviewed in Canada on November 16, 2023
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    These little treatments for Henry th BOO I conditions give the reader something to ponder. Did the heavy metals, like mercury, affect Henry's mind? Probably.
    You can learn a bit about Tudor medicine, too.
  • Mrs B Magdalene
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great fun and great history
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 30, 2020
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    A fascinating and well researched book
  • C
    2.0 out of 5 stars Superficial and limited
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 9, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Not very informative

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