The Cities' medical
profession is divided into 2, herbalists and healers. Very approximately the
split mirrors that between pharmacists and doctors, but with important
differences. For one, both herbalists and healers are autonomous,
profit-orientated organisations, following the general Christotan practice of
farming most potentially State functions onto private individuals, albeit
inside tight regulations. For another, herbalists are far more prestigious,
trusted and numerous than healers. And the split between healers diagnosing and
treating illness, and herbalists supplying the medicine, is a very murky one,
generally to the detriment of the healers' authority. The arts of diagnosis and
treatment aren't much appreciated; partly because of the relatively primitive
nature of Terafan medicine, but also because the semi-magical power of the
herbs is so great medical science doesn't have to be too advanced to be
effective. Often people rely on herbalists alone to find out what's wrong with
them and to take necessary steps. Self-diagnosis and treatment is also common
(because of good literacy & accessibility to texts and the proliferation of
accurate 'folk wisdom' about illness/injury).
Treatment and
recuperation generally take place in the home though not always. The Church of
Ella has hostels for serious or homeless patients in all 3 Cities and a number
of other hostels exist, built by wealthy philanthropists; the Sardacs
Sanatorium (good name), a hospital/maternity shelter, for use by workers in the
textile works and their family; a hostel built quite recently in Jalkin by the
Fortraine family; an old Masterson's sanctuary for walling in contagious cases
just west of Forgar; and the like. Speaking of maternity, childbirth is one
area where healers have the upper hand. Largely a product of the 1200's gender
struggles, the midwife system holds complete dominance over childbirth, an
impressive network of volunteer women, one virtually for every street in the
Cities, administered again by the Church of Ella, and handling the whole
process from diagnosis of pregnancy to delivery.
Official sanctioning of
herbalists was formerly the prerogative of the Academy, but brought into state
control by Myers Lianti in 1231, under the licensing system operating for other
professions. Theoretically the only practising herbalists should have gained a
licence from their Town Council, which requires proven high standards of
competence & diligence, clean shop premises, a full recognition of herb
usage and shelf life, an equal treatment policy and a decent price structure.
These herbalists, educated either through apprenticeships or at one of the 2 Magical
Colleges, should also be guaranteed a good supply of herbs from local growers
& foragers at reasonable prices, under the Amenities Acts. It doesn't work
like that in practice of course; licences can be handed out for bribes or to
win votes, the 5 year checks for renewing them aren't properly carried out,
unlicensed herbalists are everywhere, some competent & some not, and the
supply & pricing systems are in a complete mess. Neither are helped by the
erratic growing habits of herbs, which make all but a few impossible to
cultivate, nor by the large numbers of Cities herbalists. Growers can pick and
chose between herbalists according to who offers the best bargain (perfectly
legal under the Amenities Acts as long as they sell to someone in the Cities), whilst anyone unearthing some hickmunt or
saltic eyes can just inform interested parties, set up an auction and rake in
the profits. The Councils, due to this erratic supply, are unable to set much
of a price structure on herbalist, merely fixing the maximum amount for each
herb. They also refuse to set minimum prices, citing the importance of getting
those who need them as paramount; the result is price undercutting ahoy, of
course, no bad thing for the customers but a bit rough on the smaller
herbalists. While not supplying free herbs directly to the poor, the Councils
run a voucher system for a free supply; this works when there aren't massive
barneys going on between the Councils and herbalists about how much the former
should compensate the latter (which there usually is), and when the herbalist
is licensed, which most of the ones in poorer districts aren't. Chela Tatel is
rumoured to be eyeing the whole mess like a militant priest eyes a drunken
sinner.
Cities herbalists come in
all sizes and shapes; roughly they can be split into shaman and sellers. The
latter treat herbs as just another commodity, doling the things out with no
more elaboration than a set of instructions on usage. The most successful is
probably Geldlan Healing Herbs on Cuelon Road, Jalkin., proprietor Teresa
Geldlan, pricey but stocking nearly every herb under the sun, mostly stored in
a big warehouse in Jalkin's docklands. An ancient and still successful
establishment is Waeston's on Balar Street, Yaleth., a semi-independent part of
the Garrath Church which, as well as sizeable premises runs a good
home-visiting service for the bed-ridden. Shaman herbalists, on the other hand,
believe in emphasising the magical qualities of herbs, surrounding their
premises and services with strange runes, burning incense, levitating balls and
other cheap conjuring tricks, even chanting rites & (mock) spell. Currently
rather in vogue, such antics aren't just salesmanship but also a form of
psychosomatic healing, tricking people into believing the herbs are so
incredibly powerful they will cure them instantly.