re: Would you rather be a king in the 17th century or 1st world middle class today

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Yeah I think anyone with a science or medical background is NOT gonna opt for 17th century living

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Or history.

Here is an example of early 19th century medicine - 200 years after the thread timeframe. They helped the Lewis and Clark expedition deal with a no-fiber diet, but ingesting mercury has certain long-term effects.

Poor diet and bad ways to deal with it were pretty common stories back then.

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On the trail, the pills quickly became a critical part of the Corps of Discovery’s kit. More than a few of the men did end up needing treatment for syphilis, either for pre-existing problems or for ones picked up along the way from friendly Native American women. But almost everyone needed a laxative. Week after week, hunting parties went out and brought back animals to eat. The explorers lived on almost nothing but meat. This low-fiber diet had predictable results.

Enter Dr. Rush’s Bilious Pills. The men called these “Thunder Clappers.” They were extraordinarily effective.

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Calomel was the wonder drug of the age. In large doses, it functioned as a savage purgative, causing lengthy and productive sessions in the outhouse, guaranteeing the restoration of one’s bile balance. And in small doses, it was effective against the most dreaded “social disease” of the age, syphilis.

But take too much of it and your teeth would fall out, and you might die of mercury poisoning. Calomel’s modern scientific name is mercury chloride.

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Again, this is early 1800's. Not 1600. I'm still sticking with the modern era, thanks.