Raphael Misson

Belay that. Some people (inadvertently) guilted me into going via pm. (Not that it's real tough.) However, because of the scheduling issue that started all this, I'll be flying in Friday and leaving Monday afternoon. I am only planning to bring the bare minimum of my surgical gear (whatever can be carried in my luggage) so I probably won't be much good for a full display.

An interesting choice... though I might go for hyper-intelligence or hyper-education instead. That was my first thought, but intelligence without wisdom can be dangerous. Better to know what to do with the intelligence than to just accumulate it.

No! I...I...I'm a surgeon! A forced man. Death to the pirates after I heal them. Right.

Why should I care what other people do? You can't ever really control that with any lasting efficacy anyhow.

I'd like to try climbing a rope ladder if someone photographs it. (How rancid IS the water?)

Yeah, but we only pretend to repeat it. If we really repeated it, we'd all be in jail - where our outfits probably would work against us. (So we actually have learned from history - in a way.)

Wisdom.

Ok, I got my reservations all set up. See you guys in a few weeks.

"What I have written here plainly, touching meane and simple glisters; I would not be mistaken, as if I did it out of ignorance or disdaine of better medicines, for I were worse then foolish if I would reject, detract or disswade from the good use of decoction of hearbes, seedes, &c. with the additions of Electuaries, Laxative Sirupes and the like which I have in daily use at home upon each just occasion: yet many of the ancient Artists of worthy __ memory, which I could rehearse, have in former ages used for glisters only water and salt with oyle, and some others have added honey, and it is manifest that new milke alone is a good comfortable glister with the yolke of an egge, and a little course sugar added. And you may also many times save a labor of giving a glister by a suppository, which is either to be made of a long peece of Allum scraped smooth, or of a candles end, or of a peece of hard sope, or of honey and salt sodden till it bee so hard that it will breake being colde, when being yet hot may be rowled & made up of the greatnesse of a finger, & administred: of any of these, I say, you may make a suppository as long and bigge as a finger or lesse, and thrust it up into Ano, & let the party keep this medicine one houre at the least in his body (if he possibly can.) Further note this generall rule concerning Glisters, let a Glister never exceede the quantity of one wine pint, let it rather want one quarter, especially when you give it to a costive body, or a ful body, he shal be much the abler & the willingler to keep it the just time. Further beware it be not too hot nor too colde, for the guts are tender parts, so hot as pisse new made, or a very little rather warmer is the true temper. But if you perceive the Intestinum rectum or Arse-gut, to bee excoriated or inflamed, in such a case use no salt nor salt broathes, nor strong Laxatives, as Euphorbium [an acrid resin made from the milky juice of Euphorbia [spurges] - a cactus-like plant. Valued for its drastic, purgative and emetic properties], Agaricum [agaric stiptic], Hiera Pigra [or Aloe Compositum - cinnamon, mace, asarum root, saffron and Lentiac, Socotrin aloes and honey mixed], Coloquintida [pulp of bitter apple], or the like. If you find the Langanum or Arse-gut to be clung, or hard stopped with excrement, you may put a small greasie or oily clout on the end of your glister-pipe only over the holes thereof, when you put it into the body, and thrust it into the head of the pipe then draw backe a little your hand and deliver in your medicine, and if you see cause, and that it will not easily deliver, force it somewhat. Also when your medicine is all in, and that you would draw out your instrument againe, doe it quickly, and let the party turne him on his backe, and he shall keepe the medicine in the better. In cases of excoriations or inflammations of the intrailes, in Glisters use __ Deere suet {ounce}ij. for one glister, and in want thereof, Axungia ovina vel porcina, I meane sheep or swines fat, and let the decoction whereof the glister is made, be onely of branne, and without any other addition, aud give now and then such a glister, I meane once a day, for two or three daies, after you may adde thereto some small astringent medicines, as Succus Acatiæ {ounce}j. or Gales {dram}ij. or Balustians {half ounce} or Myraboland, {dram}iij. even as you see cause, for these helpe to heal the guts well.” (John Woodall, The Surgions Mate, p. 189-91)

I'll be there. Where exactly is there? Are we meeting at the ship Friday night this time?

Now here's something we hope you'll really like. (I have translated some of the medicines for you, but not all of them. It's a royal pain in the arse to do.) “Chap. XXXL Teacheth the Cure of the Morbus Venereus. This Distemper albeit it is not usually got aboard ashhip; yet it often falls to the Sea-Surgeons Lot, to Cure it on board. Therefore I will shew the Cure of it in its different degrees. Now when the Malign Atoms have not reacht the Liver, so as to infect the blood, but lyes about the Genitals and Seed Vessels, then Nature seeks to expel it thereabouts. So there is either a running, which is called Gonorhæa, or pricking heat in the Uretra, or Tumor of the Penis, with Ulcerations call’d Shankers, or Buboe’s in the Groin. Now all this, or any part of this we call but a Clap: Howbeit, it is really the Pox, (a Chip of the same Block) and there is no other difference then only in the Major and Minor. __ But if it hath past the Liver, and infected the Blood, and spots appear in the Skin; and Nodes on the Head, or Shin bones; and that there is Night Pains; or if there be Ulcers in the Throat; then this we call the Pox (or a confirmed Pox).” (Moyle, p. 137-8) “Now I will first shew you the Cure of that difference (of the Morbus Venerius) called a Clap. And first of a Gonorhæa, or Running at the Yard [penis]. This requires good Purging, with Medicines proper and specifick to it. For no man is to give things to stop it, any otherwise then by fair purging: Least in so doing, he Causes it to mingle with the Blood, and so become a confirm’d Pox: And indeed, letting of Blood will do the like; for that revulsion makes for the malign Atoms or Fumes to ascend from the Pocky ferment in the Inferior parts, and teints the blood in the Superior; and so by and by intolerable Headach, and other confirm’d Symptoms succeed. __ Now the purging Pills that I would recommend unto you are as follows. Rx. Pil. rudii {scruple}j. radin Julep. gr. v. {Mercury} dulc. gr. X. misce f. Pilulæ, for one Dose. Let this be followed every other day, for five times taking, the patient governing himself as in other Purges. But he must forbear the Actio Venerea [intercourse], as also strong Liquors, and keep to fresh and wholsom Diet. By this time the Disease must be very violent indeed if it doth not mitigate, and if the malignity be not carried off. And now you may give him this Potio alba [white drink] following; Terebinth. Cypr. {ounce}f. Vitel. ov. No. j. Open the Terebinth [turpentine] with it, then add aq. Plantag. q.s. mix them well together, and strain it, for one Dose. Let him take this last at Night, and first in the Morning for five times __ going, and ‘tis ten to one by this time, if the Gonorhæa is not Cured. But if it should not, but that still there is a gleeting [runny discharge]; you must to Purging again, for two or three times more, and after that the Potio alb. again. But sometimes when the Pills are left off, and the Potion is taken; there ariseth Inflammation and Pimples on the Penis, and there is small Shankers on the Glans [end of the penis], and the Yard is Tumified [puffy and swollen] and Pained, and some Excoriations [tearing of the skin] in the passage causing difficulty and pricking [ha ha] in making the Urine. As to the inner part, you are to inject by Syringe, that known Lotion, of aq. Plantag. [plantane], and Pulv. Troch. alb. Rhaff. mixed, let it be done often. And the Tumifaction, foment with Decoct. Althææ [an amino acid extracted from marsh mallow plants], then anoint the Pimples with Unguentum alb. Camph. [Camphor and egg white unguent] and if little Ulcers, touch them with Mellis Egypitaci [an oil-free mixture of copper acetate (verdigris), vinegar, and honey], and apply a Paracelsi Plaster [Emplastrum Strictum – composed of olive oil, yellow wax, litharge, ammoniacum, bdellum, galbaneum and bunch of other things] about the Penis.” (John Moyle, Chirurgus Marinus or The Sea-Chirurgion., p. 138-41) There's a whole bunch more - he really has a lot to say on the subject. Maybe I'll post more later.

You should have gone sailing with Michael at Paynetown. Sailing!

The library actually had a copy of this and I must say, what a splendid show! Good costuming and splendid locations, a wonderful cast and a great story. You almost feel like McGoohan was made to play this role. (I want an owl scarecrow mask like that kid had. Very cool.) Top notch, all the way around. It's kind of sad they made this a limited DVD release. Definitely see it if you can.

Friends...neighbors...very distant cousins...I must beg off this year. I have to be somewhere else. I don't quite know how to explain it, but...well something inside told me I should be there. As if my future had something to do with it. Sorry to the three of you who were expecting me. Maybe next year. (But if all works out well in the future possible, probably not even then.) I will be at Paynestown next year if I possibly can be.

In the interest of keeping information localized, I've combined these two topics. Hope no one minds.

That's the one! Your turn to give us a movie quote to guess.

Well, I'm excited. I wonder how finished it was? (Being an avid writer, I can tell you there are some things you get all excited about and write, only to find on the first read through that they just aren't suitable, so they sit on your hard drive, unfinished and languishing.)

Forget the movie, I didn't know he had a pirate novel coming out! With Crichton's ability to make the most dense ideas palatable one wonders what he did with an easily comprehensible pop topic like pirates. Wiki says, "It is currently considered a spiritual successor to Crichton's other notable historical novel, The Great Train Robbery." I would hope it has more in common with his book Timeline which has some interesting insights and comments on the popular conception of the medieval world vs. the more-or-less scientifically-supported academic theories.

Wow, that is some beautiful wood. I think that's what I'll change it to.

Ok, this will either really help you or it will really confuse you. (It's definitely not a neutral clue.) Second Audio Clue

Wow, I think I spelled Nathanael in every not-quite-correct way possible! (All fixed. Sorry about the mess.) I also replaced all the Nates with Nathans where possible. (Sometimes I run out of room in the picture credits and I have to abbreviate things to make them fit. In fact, I'll bet half my time creating these pages is spent finding, sizing and editing photos so they work in the space available.)

I said if you could get it on that one, you were good. Someone got the Animal House soundbite on the phrase "Oh my God!" (It's not what is said, it's how it's said.) If no one gets it by tomorrow, I'll post another soundbite.

Actually, I'd prefer to fix the mis-spelling and what Kate was doing, so I'll do that when I get a chance. In fact, if anyone spots any other errors, let me know. The reason I still do these is to provide something that you can refer friends to so that they get a feel for what the event was like, especially when it's a new event to me. Blogs are cool, but when you can combine words with pics, I believe it puts the event across in a way words alone can't. However, I think the thing about not knowing what Micky was convicted of it sort of funny as it is, so I'm going to leave that. The trouble with not doing an actual journal during the event is that I have to try and recall all the things that went on. I probably should have sat down and written the whole thing out right after the event, but I was tired and wanted some distance. Plus I really needed the pics to remind me, so it was easier to just write it as I went. However, since I can only put together one page in a day or two, the later pages get me further and further from the event and my memory fades. (Your memory becomes confused within a day or so of something happening and you start filling it in with other info.) Thanks for all the comments.

Some of them. I could probably recite the entire script to GBU with a little prompting... It's time for an audio daily double. If you get it on this one, you're good. Movie Sound Clip

In some way everyone has been a victim or intimidator at one time in their life. (Seriously - be honest with yourself and you'll recognize that you've been both.) The question isn't which you are - since in each moment you are whatever you decide to define yourself as being - the question is what you do with the temporary label. Remember that labels are self-defined and, as such, they nothing more than a mental state or a decision that you've made about yourself. This means they are always temporary.