A brilliant physician and mathematician, who worked out probability because he loved to gamble, set out the solution of the cubic equation and gave his name to the cardan joint. In his lifetime, he printed many books, and he had many eccentricities. He constructed an elaborate system of private metaphysics, and claimed to have learned the "art of hoping for nothing." He fascinated Tulse Luper.
Girolamo Cardano had a crippling fear of being poisoned; he was accompanied everywhere by two young servants who tasted everything he was about to eat and drink. He had an odd habit with jewels. His wardrobe consisted of four sumptuous garments from which he created 14 different outfits. He fought insomnia by anointing his body in 17 places with a salve of poplar ointment, bear-grease and olive oil.