pseudo Aristotle

Sexuality can both be viewed as, and indeed, be, transgressive; however, it is curious how it can be both strictly controlled, and then viewed at the end of all of the control, as perhaps inherently problematic—not possibly problematic, right; like the way an internet atheist looks at religion, no—or else perhaps just inherently implicitly transgressive or dark grey in a lily-white mind, you know.

It’s funny: people are often encouraged to act in (perhaps) implicitly sexual ways, but show more to write a sex manual—you know, to posit it as an object of respect, at least, almost, right—is itself an alternative act, certainly in the 17th century, perhaps even today: even in the case, really, of a pro-order sex manual: the Bible quotes sprinkled lightly but noticeably throughout, the polite nod to Aristotle and the Ancients, or whatever, (as though they were an obscure 80s band, right), and yeah, the heavily natalist purpose, of the thing: the, let’s talk about making babies; first the part before, the latter, the very exit of the baby from the mother, right.

But it’s funny: I don’t know if the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War was ever branded as promoting bestiality, but in this late 17th century sex manual, it is stated as “fact” that in 1603 a woman—always a woman, in people’s minds, right; the external world outside our minds be damned, right—had sex with a dog and gave birth to a half-dog half-person freak, right….

It’s always transgressive, however you try and control these people…. You must always control them: and you must never indicate that the way they have been forced to act is correct, right: because deep down, you don’t believe in it, yourself…. You believe your whole system to be nothing but the work of the devil, right…. You dream that you are pope; and then, upon awaking from your slumber, you discover that all the priests are just the devil’s charmers, right….

It’s funny. Secretly, society actually desires to be overthrown, right. That is: it is unhappy. At the very least: it is ambivalent, about the whole rotten thing….

…. “For what man ever hated his own flesh!”

The text is, of course, very androcentric, and very biblical/classical, trying to frame sex in the “safest” possible light, you know…. But it is not ascetic, right. And it can be curious, despite all the toils that flesh is heir to, what alienation there can be, in asceticism, right…. Probably far more have grasped at that stance, or had it thrust upon them, than were ever truly called to it, really….

…. It’s amusing to what extent this sounds like backstory for Shakespeare or Anne Bradstreet or somebody, right: or the sort of historical medicine and history of medicine that makes doctors want to gnash their teeth and impale someone, right…. Of course: I don’t think that doctors are bad or unhelpful, or that we should be, I don’t know, anti-authority-prejudiced-against-them, and some new agers are, right: but it’s like…. Don’t the doctors of today themselves say that for treating cancer, you can pump people full of toxins and poisons and that that restores health? But if somebody from a “tribe” were to start to explain something like that, after about fifteen seconds they would demand if they subscribed to an expensive, pro-authority medical journal, and when the half-naked figure, just back from the steps of some Eastern temple, (Churchill vs Gandhi, lol), said No, they would: punch them with their voice, basically…. But I mean: after we toast the earth like toast that gets baked at 500 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour, right, people are gonna look back at our methods of treating cancer, right: they’ll give it fifteen seconds, and then, at the end of that time…. And it’s sad: you know. Because historical medicine CAN INDEED BE inferior, right, and methods used today sometimes work. They also pad the pockets of bureaucratic-capitalistic-legalistic societal leeches, and reinforce imperialism, right. And, they can also cure cancer…. (shrugs)….

But yeah: the history of medicine is something to read about, instead of, I don’t know, The Pro-Establishment Political History of Belgium, right…. I’m not saying I want to endanger public health: I just want to be able to think about it for myself~ 👌 And I did NOT know that that would rhyme, lol….

…. I realize that this was part of a very small body of literature produced in the unfavorable situation that society was trying to suppress it, right, (society thinks that sexuality is crime: and society LOVES to fly off the handle about ~crime~, right?)…. But yeah: A LOT of natalist/act of/diseases of birth type of stuff, right…. “Let’s see, is sexuality…. Efficient, what’s good about it…. Oh, I know! It produces babies: the soldiers of the next generation!…. And remember to check the baby-production apparatus for defects, preserve its working life for as long as possible…. The children are the next generation’s territorial gains! More children: more land!….”

…. The herbalism is interesting, right: not that herbalism is inherently good or bad; but I wish I had a, I hate to use the adjective ‘real’, right: but a doctor with guts, so that I could learn about things like herbalism, and if like six herbs and spices, or twelve, or whatever, can have an effect on mood: but with your generic poor person doctor, you kinda get…. “Ah, lemme check Google to see which advertisers are behind this weird/common shit…. Nope, your best bet is to stay on praesidium-imperialis…. What’s in it? (chuckles) Even the medical chemists, don’t know THAT, silly…. They just kinda…. Well, anyway….”

But the herbalism is literally ALL about birth & pregnancy, right, like…. What if the chick likes you, but something is wrong with her…. Pirate ship, right…. (chuckles)….

Yeah: the world used to be very dicey place: and that’s why, today—it’s STILL, THE, place, for chancers, right!…. (fake cartoon teeth-smile, lol)…. show less

Bizarre popular medicine handbook, written by someone using the pseudonym ":Aristotle"
Horrendous advice, typical of the era, and some colour plates with rudimentary, hand drawn images intended to illustrate certain birth defects; for example, a baby born with bird's wings...

Includes 6 Chapters:
The Masterpiece
The Midwife
Problems
Physionomy
Useful Remedies
Directions to Midwives

I understood it was written a very long time ago, possibly the late 1600s, then continued to be revised and reprinted show more well into the early 1900s. This requires proof however. My copy belonged to my grandmother (b. 1900) , and may have been her mothers. show less

Different from the later Victorian version, with a section on matters which the Victorians would not have approved of….

This book continued to be published in a variety of formats during much of the 19th century and was used by many people to actually assist in childbirth. There are three different copies in the library collection. Call No. PC 1.2 pc 1.3