function Agatha:AddAff(affliction)
	if type(affliction) ~= "string" then return false end

	-- if the affliction is present in the dictionary, add it to all queues
	-- associated with its cure_types table.

	if self.Afflictions.aff_dict[affliction:lower()] then

		local aff = self.Afflictions.aff_dict[affliction:lower()]
		local duplicate_aff = false
		local cure_type = ""
		Agatha:Announce("|cffffffAffliction added: |cff0000" .. string.upper(affliction) .. "|cffffff.")
		for _,v in pairs(aff.cure_types) do

			cure_type = v

			if #self.Afflictions[cure_type.."_queue"] > 0 then
				for _,j in pairs(self.Afflictions[cure_type.."_queue"]) do
					if j.name == affliction then
						duplicate_aff = true
					end
				end

				if not duplicate_aff then
					for i,k in pairs(self.Afflictions[v.."_queue"]) do
						if aff.priority <= k.priority or i == #self.Afflictions[v.."_queue"] then
							table.insert(self.Afflictions[v.."_queue"], i, aff)
							break
							end
						end
				end
			else
				table.insert(self.Afflictions[cure_type.."_queue"], aff)
			end
		end
	end
end

function Agatha:RemAff(affliction)
	if type(affliction) ~= "string" then return false end

	-- if the affliction is present in the dictionary, remove it from all queues
	-- associated with its cure_types table.

	if self.Afflictions.aff_dict[affliction:lower()] then
		for k,v in pairs(self.Afflictions.aff_dict[affliction:lower()].cure_types) do
			for i,j in pairs(self.Afflictions[v.."_queue"]) do
				if j.name == affliction:lower() then table.remove(self.Afflictions[v.."_queue"], i) end
			end
		end
		Agatha:Announce("|cffffffAffliction removed: |c00ff00" .. string.upper(affliction) .. "|cffffff.")
	end
end

function Agatha:NewAff(name, ...)
-- defines a new affliction and adds it to Agatha.afflictions.aff_dict["affname"]

	if type(name) ~= "string" then
		Agatha:Error("NewAff: invalid affliction name data type.")
		return false
	end

	if self.Afflictions.aff_dict[name:lower()] then
		Agatha:Announce("Duplicate affliction definition.  Overwriting old definition.")
	end

	local args = {...}
	local aff = {
		name = name:lower(),
		herb_cure = "",
		salve_cure = "",
		pipe_cure = "",
		tincture_cure = "",
		slice_cure = "",
		poultice_cure = "",
		skills_cure = {},
		cure_types = {},
		bodypart = "",
		priority = ""
		}

	for _,v in pairs(args) do
		if type(v) == "string" then
			if self.Cure_dict.Concoctions.Herbs[v] then
				aff.herb_cure = v
				table.insert(aff.cure_types, "herb")
			elseif self.Cure_dict.Concoctions.Salves[v] then
				aff.salve_cure = v
				table.insert(aff.cure_types, "salve")
			elseif self.Cure_dict.Concoctions.Smoked[v] then
				aff.pipe_cure = v
				table.insert(aff.cure_types, "smoked")
			elseif self.Cure_dict.Reanimation.Slices[v] then
				aff.slice_cure = v
				table.insert(aff.cure_types, "slice")
			elseif self.Cure_dict.Reanimation.Poultices[v] then
				aff.poultice_cure = v
				table.insert(aff.cure_types, "poultice")
			elseif self.Cure_dict.Reanimation.Tinctures[v] then
				aff.tincture_cure = v
				table.insert(aff.cure_types, "tincture")
			elseif self.Cure_dict.Skills[v] then
				aff.skills_cure = v
				table.insert(aff.cure_types, "skill")
			elseif self.Cure_dict.Bodyparts[v] then
				aff.bodypart = v
			else Agatha:Error("Agatha:NewAff: Invalid argument type in affliction definition.");return false
			end
		elseif type(v) == "function" then
			aff.priority = v
		else
			Agatha:Error("Agatha:NewAff: Invalid argument type in affliction definition.");return false
		end
	end
	if not aff.priority then aff.priority = function() return 1 end end
	self.Afflictions.aff_dict[name:lower()] = aff
	Agatha:Announce("Affliction successfully added to the dictionary: " .. name .. ".")
	Save()
	return true

end

function Agatha:CureNextAff(afftype)

	if type(afftype) ~= "string" then
		Agatha:Error("Agatha:CureNextAff: invalid type.")
		return false
	end

	local aff_queue = self.Afflictions[afftype.."_queue"]
	local cure_command

	if afftype == "herb" or type == "slice" then	cure_command = "eat"
	elseif afftype == "salve" then						cure_command = "apply"
	elseif afftype == "pipe" then						cure_command = "smoke"
	elseif afftype == "poultice" then 					cure_command = "press"
	elseif afftype == "tincture" then 					cure_command = "inject"
	end

	if aff_queue then
		if #aff_queue > 0 then
			if self.Status.Balances[afftype.."_bal"] and not self.Status.Balances["try_"..afftype] then
				self.Status.Balances["try_"..afftype] = true
				if cure_command == "eat" then cure_command = "outc " .. self.Afflictions.aff_dict[aff_queue[1].name][afftype.."_cure"] .. ";eat" end
				cure_command = cure_command .. " " .. self.Afflictions.aff_dict[aff_queue[1].name][afftype.."_cure"]
				if aff_queue[1].bodypart ~= "" and aff_queue[1].bodypart ~= "skin" then cure_command = cure_command .. " to " .. aff_queue[1].bodypart end
				send(cure_command)
			end
		end
	end
end