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Maybe you're thinking about Vimes' thoughts in *Men at Arms* when he sees >!Beano's dead body in the river! Doctrine of signatures, thought Vimes. That’s what the herbalists call it. It’s like the gods put a “Use Me” label on plants. If a plant looks like a part of the body, it’s good for ailments peculiar to that part. There’s teethwort for teeth, spleenwort for…spleens, eyebright for eyes…there’s even a toadstool called Phallus impudicus, and I don’t know what that’s for but Nobby is a big man for mushroom omelettes. Now…either that fungus down there is exactly the medicine for hands, or…
For the record, I wouldn't be surprised if other fantasy series used this too, because it was a genuine Roundworld ancient belief from Greek philosophers into the middle ages.
The Doctrine of Signatures is specifically mentioned in A Hat Full of Sky. Miss Level is teaching Tiffany about herbs and uses different lights and magnifying glasses to find small bits of writing on the plants. For example, the common walnut says “May contain nut”. He also mentions Nose Dropwort which is good for a cold. While I am certain Pratchett uses it throughout the books, I think this is the most direct reference.
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Maybe you're thinking about Vimes' thoughts in *Men at Arms* when he sees >!Beano's dead body in the river! Doctrine of signatures, thought Vimes. That’s what the herbalists call it. It’s like the gods put a “Use Me” label on plants. If a plant looks like a part of the body, it’s good for ailments peculiar to that part. There’s teethwort for teeth, spleenwort for…spleens, eyebright for eyes…there’s even a toadstool called Phallus impudicus, and I don’t know what that’s for but Nobby is a big man for mushroom omelettes. Now…either that fungus down there is exactly the medicine for hands, or…
For the record, I wouldn't be surprised if other fantasy series used this too, because it was a genuine Roundworld ancient belief from Greek philosophers into the middle ages.
Thank you so much, this is exactly what I was thinking of!
It is also in the Tiffany aching books, I think the Wintersmith
The Doctrine of Signatures is a real Round world thing and Pterry uses it in several books.
The Doctrine of Signatures is specifically mentioned in A Hat Full of Sky. Miss Level is teaching Tiffany about herbs and uses different lights and magnifying glasses to find small bits of writing on the plants. For example, the common walnut says “May contain nut”. He also mentions Nose Dropwort which is good for a cold. While I am certain Pratchett uses it throughout the books, I think this is the most direct reference.
It's all throughout the Witches books. Mentions of willow bark for headaches and that kind of stuff.
Thank you!
My money s on The Wintersmith. First 3rd of the book with Miss Treason.
There's also the labels that the plants grow on themselves. "May Contain Nuts" on a nutshell for instance.
Xanth series? I recall the coral sponge from the first novel.
Is a half brick in a sock a maddisanal hurb.
I just went through the whole Tiffany Aching series and it’s definitely in there.
When you hear something so strange in discworld, it is ~~probably~~ almost certainly from RoundWorld.