Pustules, Pestilence and Pain: Tudor Treatments and Ailments of Henry VIII by Seamus O'Caellaigh

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.

Publisher: Made Global Publishing | Genre: Nonfiction | Source: Gifted | Rating: 4 Cups 

 

It’s been a minute since I’ve picked up a Tudor nonfiction book, so when this arrived, I knew I had to give it a go.

This book focuses on the treatments Henry VIII received for nine of his well-known injuries and ailments. The dates of the treatments range from 1514-1539 and all treatments are taken from the historical text of Henry’s personal physicians.

There’s a lot that you learn from this book, such as the type ingredients used (some recipes also include the measurements) and the way the treatment was administered. It also offers a slight glimpse into the injuries and aliments Henry was suffering at the time.

While this was a very interesting read with gorgeous pictures, I’m a little upset with the repetition in this book. For each treatment, the original text is shared in Old English, then the treatment is shared in modern English, and lastly we see the author’s take on the treatment. I do understand that some people struggle with reading Old English and a modern version is necessary but I don’t think it needed to be translated again by the author. I think he should have talked about the treatment without repeating the treatment itself.

Overall, I did enjoy this one and felt like it offered something new to the world of Tudor nonfiction. If there would have been less repetition, there could have been more added about the ailments/injuries, the treatment itself, the way the treatments worked, or included more treatments.