: Faramir's arrow wound had already been tended by the healers. What Aragorn was dealing with was the Black Breath, which was more the product of sorcery than anything else. As a student of Elrond and Gandalf both he was much better equipped to deal with such "medical" conditions. Gandalf, on the other hand, was not in Middle-earth as a healer, and it doesn't follow that a Maia should be able to wave his or her hands and heal someone. Each Maia had his or her own gifts and talents, and area of expertise. Gandalf's area of expertise was more-or-less in matters of "counseling" (he was, in my opinion, a psychologist among the Maiar).

In the same paragraph you are saying that Aragorn was a student (in context, presumably medically) of Gandalf's, and in the same paragraph saying that Gandalf wasn't a healer. Take a position, man! LOL!

::snip

: Theoden's mind had been poisoned (and probably his body), and Gandalf was able to give Theoden a clarity (it is implied he uses Narya) of perception. But Theoden asserts that Gandalf healed him, so there was a healing process there of some sort.

You snipped out my previous comment about Gandalf's healing of Theoden, but I agree with what you say here, and, as usual, you said it better than I did.

: : : The only person who appears to have to an ability to ease,
: : : not heal, the effects of spiritual wounds is Arwen. This
: : : ability appears to be knowledge based, and not an inate
: : : power.

: : :::zing!::: That was the sound of your comment about Arwen
: : going way over my head. Could you explain?

: The only comfort Frodo had in Middle-earth came from Arwen's white stone.

I had not thought of that. :)