Physicians of Myddfai

The Physicians of Myddfai were very real people even if their mother was a legend (see my ‘Lady of the Lake’ blog).

Welsh Herbal Medicine by David Hoffmann says “Rhiwallon and his sons first became physicians to Rhys Gryg who gave them rank, lands and privileges at Myddfai. Their fame soon spread and their services were in demand throughout the country. The descendants of this ancient family continued to practice medicine in Wales without a break until the middle of the 18th century, when the last lineal descendant died in 1743. The late Rice Williams M.D. of Aberystwyth, who died in  1842, appears to have been the last of the Physicians of Myddfai descended from the mysterious Lady of Llyn-y-Fan Fach.”

But there are still descendants out there, though they are not Physicians. My neighbour at the Craft Fair in Myddfai (http://www.ferricfusion.co.uk) has a next door neighbour who is a descendant of the Physicians of Myddfai. (Yes, it is a small world. She was surprised when I produced a copy of the book when she mentioned the Physicians of Myddfai.)

Obviously there have always been Physicians and healers.  The unusual thing about the Physicians of Myddfai is that they wrote things down, an uncommon practice way back when. The Red Book of Hergest  is one of the ancient Welsh books. I was privilaged to view it and the other ancient Welsh books when they came together in the National Library of Wales recently.(http://www.llgc.org.uk/) It includes “work on anatomy, physiology, medicine, surgery, pathology, materia medica and theraputics. The materia medica mentioned in the manuscript comprises about 175 plants, flowers, roots, etc., the list including foxglove, poppy, valarian, peppermint, broom, etc.” (Welsh Herbal Medicine.) I’m no herbalist or pharmacist but even I know most of the above are being used both by Herbalists and the pharmacutical industry now.

Welsh Herbal Medicine continues with: “A careful study of the writings of the Physicians of Myddfai show that the art of medicine practised in Wales in the fifteenth century was further advanced, and was freer of from the influence of superstition, than in most other European countries at that period.”

We tend to be told that people were rougher  hundreds of years ago. But in the writings of the physicians of Myddfai we are told that “he should be a kind man, gentle, meek, intelligent, wise and gentlemanly in act and deed, in word and conduct, being careful not to shame those whom he has to examine, particularly when he has to examine women.”

Welsh Herbal Medicine is available from Abercastle Publications.