Dr. George Washington Carey’s 1932 work Relation of the Mineral Salts of the Body to the Signs of the Zodiac unites homeopathy and astrology to explain both the causes and cures of disease. Dr. Carey’s unique blend of chemistry, physiology, religion, and astrology has made him a popular writer in homeopathic circles since the early 20th century.

Published posthumously in 1932, Relation is Dr. Carey’s contribution to a larger two-part work titled The Zodiac and the Salts of Salvation. In this short volume, Dr. Carey argues that all maladies are due to a deficiency in some necessary chemical, or “cell-salt.” Just as the “cure” for a shadow is to introduce light, the cure for maladies of the human body is to introduce some vital element for the nourishing of our blood and organs.

But which cell-salts are we deficient in? That may well depend on the position of the sun at our birth — or our Zodiac signs. Dr. Carey describes the 12 signs of the Zodiac, including their characteristics and the cell-salts that he recommends to cure the diseases of each.

For example, Dr. Carey identifies the salt fluoride of lime (or calcium fluoride) as the most important salt for the Cancer. When it is deficient, tissue fiber loses its elasticity. Symptoms of this relaxation can include varicose veins and interestingly, “a groundless fear of financial ruin.”

The second part of the larger work, written by frequent collaborator Inez E. Perry, is titled Esoteric Analysis and Synthesis of the Zodiacal Signs and their Physiochemical Allocations. This volume expands on Relation of Mineral Salts and provides guidance for the use of each mineral to cure disease and reach a more enlightened spiritual state.