Saturn, in traditional astrology, is considered cold and dry in nature and is associated with melancholy. Conditions of a similar character are said to be signified by this planet: quartan fevers arising from cold, black jaundice, palsies, consumptions, rheums, gout in the hands and feet, apoplexies, and all complaints whose origin lies in melancholic distempers. In the human body, Saturn is said to rule the spleen.
When Saturn is the author of the disease, or is lord of the sixth house, or is placed in that house, the sickness may be judged to arise from causes of the kind he naturally signifies. To make plain the discussion of the planets' natures and the diseases they signify, it is helpful to set out the infirmities attributed to Saturn in each of the twelve signs, as follows.
Saturn in Aries
When Saturn is lord of the sixth house and placed in Aries, he usually indicates that the disease arises from melancholic distempers. The sick person is much oppressed in the head and troubled by melancholic vapours there; they tend to be very silent and dull, subject to strange imaginations, fears, and terrible dreams. Experience has shown that when Saturn is author of the disease and in this sign, the patient is much afflicted with heaviness in the head, sleeps very little, and is exceedingly troubled by stuffiness in the head. At times there are distillations of rheum from the head, as well as noises and ringing in the head and ears. Often the person is very dull of hearing and has great pain in the teeth.
Saturn in Taurus
When Saturn is the significator of the disease and in Taurus, he points to swellings in the throat, hoarseness, hard kernels there, and often gives suspicion of the disease commonly called the King's Evil. He also signifies wens and hard swellings in the neck, and extremely sore throats.
Saturn in Gemini
When Saturn is author of the sickness and in Gemini, he usually declares wounds or hurts in the arms or shoulders. Because this sign has a relation to the blood, it may be judged that when Saturn is significator of a disease and placed here, the blood is too thick and the sick person is subject to diseases of a cold, dry nature incident to the blood. Sometimes the patient inclines to a consumption or the black jaundice.
Saturn in Cancer
When Saturn is the principal significator of a disease and in Cancer, the sick person is commonly afflicted with putrefaction in the stomach; the digestive faculty is much weakened, and the patient is much oppressed by coughs proceeding from an indisposition of the lungs. It is commonly observed that the lungs are much decayed for want of moisture, from which many infirmities arise. Sometimes, with this position, the patient is oppressed by ulceration in the lungs, phthisis (consumption), or the like. Melancholic vapours usually afflict the stomach and lungs when Saturn, as significator of a disease, is placed in this sign. He also signifies cancers, ulcers, and bruises in the breast and stomach when found here.
Saturn in Leo
When Saturn is in Leo and the chief author of the disease, he declares the heart to be oppressed with melancholic and stinking vapours. The sick person is very fretful and usually complains of great pain at the heart. It has often been observed that when Saturn is author of a disease, or principal significator of a sickness or infirmity, and placed in this sign, the patient has taken some inward grief and is much afflicted with melancholic distempers at the heart caused by excessive sorrow. Sometimes poison is to be feared as the cause of the sickness when other testimonies concur.
Saturn in Virgo
When Saturn is in Virgo, is lord of the sixth house, and has most power in a disease, he demonstrates that the present sickness or distemper proceeds from melancholic obstructions in the bowels and small guts. Commonly the sick person is griped in the belly, and colic is to be feared with this position. Sometimes I have known the patient to be troubled with iliac passions and much oppressed by hard dung in the guts, going very seldom to stool. In such a position, a clyster should be administered to the sick person.
Saturn in Libra
When Saturn is in Libra and the only significator of a sickness or infirmity, he commonly indicates great pain in the reins and bladder, and stoppage of urine by cold. Yet Libra being an airy sign, Saturn's position there may declare some distemper in the blood, with the patient's blood decaying, thick, and windy. Moreover, when other testimonies agree, strangury is to be feared, as well as great pain in the back and kidneys, by which the patient is much oppressed, or some former bruises.
Saturn in Scorpio
When Saturn is in Scorpio, lord of the sixth house, and author of the disease or infirmity, he shows that the sick person is tormented in the privy members. He signifies botches and scabs there, as well as bruises, swellings of those members, and ulcers in those parts. With such a position, it may be feared that the patient is troubled with the piles.
Saturn in Sagittarius
When Saturn is significator as aforesaid and in Sagittarius, there is strong cause to judge that the sick person is troubled with swellings in the hips and thighs, pain in those members from cold, old aches, old bruises, and the like, and that the infirmity proceeds from some former grief or impediment. We may also mistrust sciatica in the hips, as well as fistulas and similar sores in those parts.
Saturn in Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces
When Saturn is in Capricorn and author of the disease, he signifies impediment in the knees, lameness, and bruises there. Some affirm that Saturn in any of these signs which are his houses—namely Capricorn and Aquarius—represents the head, and that all other planets do the like when in their own houses. If Saturn is in Aquarius or Pisces and significator as aforesaid, then it may be judged that the sick person is oppressed with gout in the feet and toes, and much pain in those members caused by cold distempers there. Sometimes an ague or some other cold disease afflicts the patient in those members.