Reading Poul Anderson’s entertaining fantasy Three Hearts and Three Lions, one is reminded of the similarities of doctors and herbalists with magicians and alchemists. He has his character the sorcerer Martinus Trismegistus grouse:

“And as for herbs, and mummy, and powdered toad, why, they just don’t put the sort of stuff into them they used to. And the prices!”

Regarding the competition, a witch named Mother Gerd:

“I know of her,” he said. “Not a good sort. Not surprising you got into trouble. She traffics with black magic. It’s these unlicensed practitioners who give the whole profession a bad name.”

Some things never change.

PS: It’s those darned unlicensed traditional Naturopaths who give the rest of us a bad name…a danger to the public!

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