Parkinsons & MS – the astrology varies

Medical astrology in ye olden days was one of the principal uses of the celestial art though it fell out of fashion with the advance of scientific medicine. Certain general attributes of parts of the body to particular signs and similarly houses to certain conditions appear to hold a grain of truth. But astrology is not a good diagnostic tool either for psychological or physical ailments.  Having said that, it is also not my speciality so feel free to pitch in.

  Parkinsons’ disease is a neurological disorder and should by rights be flagged up by Mercury, the ruler of the nervous system. Mars is also mentioned in relation to Parkinsons. But Michael J Fox, who was diagnosed with early onset P. aged 30, 9 June 1961 12.15 am Edmonton, Canada, has not much that is illuminating about his Mercury.  He does have a 2^nd house Taurus Moon Venus trine Pluto, North Node in Virgo and opposition an 8^th house Neptune square a 12^th house Jupiter – so a fairly loaded Moon. But his Mercury does not look overly stressed.  His Sun is sextile an excitable Mars Uranus in Leo.

  Bill Connolly, who contracted Parkinsons in his 70s, born 24 November 1942 4.30am Glasgow, has his Mercury in late Scorpio conjunct Sun, Venus in Sagittarius trine Jupiter and opposition an 8^th house Uranus square North Node in Leo. His Moon is inconjunct Mars and not otherwise well integrated into his chart.

  There’s nothing much that leaps out of either chart as similar or indicative of a chronic ailment.

 Multiple Sclerosis is an auto-immune disorder and associated by the Hamburg School with Sun/Mars; and by researchers with suppressed anger.

Actress Selma Blair, 23 June 1972 8.30 am Southfield, Michigan, was diagnosed with MS in 2018. She is a Sun Cancer, with a 12^th house Mars conjunct South Node trine a 4^th house Scorpio Moon and sextile Pluto.

 Jaqueline du Pre, the cellist, 26 January 1945 11.30am Oxford, England, also had MS and died aged 42. She had an 11^th house Aquarius Sun opposition Pluto, trine Uranus and trine Neptune – with a 10^th house Mars in Capricorn conjunct South Node opposition a Cancer Moon. So a driving Pluto and a stressed Mars tied into the South Node.

  Nadia Carmichael, 14 August 1976 3.36 am Dunedin, NZ, who had MS and died aged 29.  She had a 3^rd house Sun; with an Aries Moon on the Midheaven opposition Pluto, trine Saturn and trine Neptune as well as inconjunct Uranus North Node. Like Jaqueline du Pre her Pluto is the driving planet from a Kite, formed by the opposition to one leg of a Grand Trine.

  With the exception of Jaqueline du Pre none of these examples have anything in the 6^th house. Some 12^th house activity but nothing out of the ordinary.

  My recollection from the time that Jaqueline du Pre died was that her powerful though over controlled Pluto might be an indicator.  But many people have that without contracting MS.

  I’m none the wiser so any suggestions welcome.