the presence of planets. The Sun and Mars increase vitality if well aspected but if afflicted they incline to fever and inflammatory disorders but they also favor rapid recuperation, they make the nature alert and energetic. A well-aspected Jupiter rising also increases vitality but inclines to corpulence; if the planet is afflicted that makes the circulation sluggish and thus gives a tendency to disorders of the blood. The foregoing remarks about Jupiter apply to Venus in a lesser degree. Saturn rising lowers the vitality and favors chronic ill-health in later life, but at the same time he gives such a tenacious hold on life that though the person may pray to be released he cannot die. Mercury, Moon, Uranus and Neptune make the body more high-strung and nervous than the average, usable specially to pioneers in music, literature, higher thought, science and the electrical arts.
Planets placed in the twelfth house are considered as being on the ascendant if within six degrees thereof, so are all planets in the first house no matter how far from the rising degree, but if a sign is intercepted in the first house planets placed therein will not have as strong an influence in the life as where the sign occupies the cusp.
