1538 French prognosticator - photo

[Altair]

1538 century French prognosticator used to foretell illnesses.

"By means of moving the concentric dials of this brass instrument details of a patient's illness could reputedly be predicted."

Fullsize image: https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/h...r_fullsize.jpg



Previously:

Antikythera Mechanism
Armillary sphere ring - photo
19th century armillary sphere - photo
9th century Bedouin astrolabe - photo
1579 Austrian celestial globe - photo

[mklotz]

The side of the dial shown in the photo looks more like a lunar phase calculator. In fact, the movable arm says "La Lune", French for "the moon".

As the arm is rotated to a particular date, the circular cutout in the rotating arm may move over darkened areas under it, to produce an image of the moon at that date showing the phase of the moon.

I can't see anything in the photo that relates to illness. Perhaps there is something on the other side of the device ?

[Inner]

The side of the dial shown in the photo looks more like a lunar phase calculator. In fact, the movable arm says "La Lune", French for "the moon".

As the arm is rotated to a particular date, the circular cutout in the rotating arm may move over darkened areas under it, to produce an image of the moon at that date showing the phase of the moon.

I can't see anything in the photo that relates to illness. Perhaps there is something on the other side of the device ?

No, I'm pretty sure this is -exactly- what is used by the CDC.

[Jon]

Other side:

[mklotz]

Lots of astrological symbols plastered on the standing figure on the left. Also, on the banner above the guy on the right are symbols for some of the planets.

I'm guessing that the rings of letters and numbers are tied to a book that accompanied the instrument.

Probably had a now missing pointer that was tied to the arm on the other side via the central hole.

More shamanistic BS that passed for real understanding back in the era when barbers did surgery on the side.