Reading about wound recovery, first aid and palliative cars on p.61-62, some questions arise:
The ArM5 book lists on p.179 that Chirurgy or Medicine can be used. but A&A only lists Chirurgy. Is this because the ability to use for these practical things really is Chirurgy, and that Medicine is used for medicinal treatment and diagnosis rather. Or is it an oversight in A&A? Chirurgy does sound like it is most likely used for First Aid, while Medicine could perhaps help somewhat with Palliative Care
What is this 'Recovery Modifier' listed in the formulas for Wound Recovery and First Aid? Is this the Wound Penalties?
Assuming that only Chirurgy is used for treatment of wounds, throughout the healing period, what is Medicine good for? Can it be used to give further bonus, by proscribing potions, diet and what activities/surroundings will help restoring the balance in the humours? Can Apothecary give any bonus to Recovery by making the medicine, or is this just the craft necessary to brew the potions the guy with Medicine says are needed?
Chirurgy: shok treatment and well, all kinds of chirurgy.
Medicine: illness, humor balance, dyagnosis, knowledge of herbs, stones and stuff needed to prepare unguents et al.
In the field, after being attacked by a boar, you want the guy that can stop your bleeding and set your bones in place again (painful, but effective), not the one that determines that your choler is slightly higher than it should be compared to your phlegm.
Chirurgy is for treating physical injuries and performing surgery.
Medicine is for treating disease, poison and deprivation (which it should be noted, also cause wounds). It can also be used to design health regimens, ligatures, or theriacs!
Yes, that's what I thought. So no injury (as a apart from illness and perhaps poisoning) needs neither Medicine nor Apothecary, and cannot benefit from medicinal help, only surgery, bandaging, stiching, cleaning wounds and so on. But there really is no extra benefit from using Medicine, Apothecary or Herbalism to create unguents or give drugs. This might be assumed to be a part of the Chirurgeons work, using these methods and materials, perhaps?
And what is this Recovery Modifier in the formulas? Is this for conditions - like living conditions - if they are either good or bad?
There's a list of them somewhere in the chapter - close to where the rules about wounds and healing begins, IIRC. They include a bunch of miscellaneous modifiers, such as Living Conditions Modifiers (the better you eat, the quicker you will heal), the lack of medicines or equipment, performing Chirurgy on yourself, and other such things.