Pharmacy comes up in 4 chapters across 4 episodes of The Higherside Chats Free Show, from June 2017 to July 2026.
Dr. Cowan's Garden and Strophanthus Heart Medicine
Dr. Tom Cowan discusses his online store, Dr. Cowan's Garden, which sells sprouted nuts and "medicines from nature." He highlights Strophanthus, a traditional heart medicine he is working to preserve, which he refers to as "The Gift From Paradise."
Galen, Marcus Aurelius, and Suppressed Roman Pharmaceutical Texts
Dr. Amon Hillman describes his discovery of thousands of untranslated pages of ancient pharmaceutical texts, specifically those by the Roman physician Galen. These documents reveal that Emperor Marcus Aurelius was a heavy user of opium, with his dosages monitored and recorded by Galen. The discussion emphasizes that classicists often ignore these scientific texts, which detail complex drug combinations, including psychotropic substances used in medical and ritual contexts.
Voynich Manuscript, 15th Century Pharmacy and Origin Theories
Dr. Skinner discusses his involvement in a new reproduction of the legendary Voynich Manuscript, which has been carbon-dated to approximately 1420. He identifies the text as a work of pharmacy, cosmology, and astrology likely created by a Jewish author in Northern Italy, near Pisa. While the code remains uncracked, Skinner points to botanical details and cultural clues—such as the depiction of a crossbow and ritual baths (mikvahs)—as evidence of its specific historical and geographic origins.
Deciphering the Voynich Manuscript
Dr. Stephen Skinner shares his insights on the Voynich Manuscript, dating it to approximately 1420. He identifies it as a work of pharmacy, cosmology, and astrology rather than pure magic. Based on botanical details and the depiction of "mikvahs," Skinner concludes the author was likely a Jewish physician living in Northern Italy near Pisa who had connections to Southern Germany.
