Paracelsus brief biography of martin

Swiss physician, philosopher, theologian, and alchemist (c. 1493 – 1541)

For other uses, see Paracelsus (disambiguation).

Paracelsus (; German:[paʁaˈtsɛlzʊs]; c. 1493 – 24 September 1541), born Theophrastus von Hohenheim (full name Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim), was a Swiss physician, alchemist, lay theologian, and philosopher of the German Renaissance.

He was a pioneer in several aspects of the "medical revolution" of the Renaissance, emphasizing the value of observation in combination with received wisdom. He is credited as the "father of toxicology". Paracelsus also had a substantial influence as a prophet or diviner, his "Prognostications" being studied by Rosicrucians in the 17th century. Paracelsianism is the early modern medical movement inspired by the study of his works.

Biography

Paracelsus was born in Egg an der Sihl [de], a village close to the Etzel Pass in Einsiedeln, Schwyz. He was born in a house next to a bridge across the Sihl river. His father Wilhelm (d. 1534) was a chemist and physician, an illegitimate descendant of the Swabian noble Georg [de]Bombast von Hohenheim (1453–1499), commander of the Order of Saint John in Rohrdorf.

Paracelsus' mother was probably a native of the Einsiedeln region and a bondswoman of Einsiedeln Abbey, who before her marriage worked as superintendent in the abbey's hospital. Paracelsus in his writings repeatedly made references to his rustic origins and occasionally used Eremita (from the name of Einsiedeln, meaning "hermitage") as part of his name.

Paracelsus' mother probably died in 1502, after which Paracelsus's father moved to Villach, Carinthia, where he worked as a physician, attending to the medical needs of the pilgrims and inhabitants of

Graphical abstract

Keywords: Paracelsus, History of toxicology, Medicine, Alchemy, Toxicity, Mercury, Chemistry

Highlights

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  Paracelsus introduced the use of chemical substances, such as minerals, into medicine.

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  Paracelsus theorized the constitution of matter based on three elements: sulphur, salt and mercury.

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  Paracelsus emphasized the importance of dosing in distinguishing between toxicity and treatment.

Abstract

Theophrastus Bombastus Von Hohenheim known as Paracelsus was a German-Swiss homo universalis, or Renaissance man, whose interests included medicine, chemistry and toxicology. Characterized as a rebellious and great reformer of established medicine of his era, Paracelsus preferred observing nature, over studying ancient texts to find appropriate treatments for various diseases. He also used unconventional curative methods, such as minerals and other inorganic substances, which caused much controversy among his contemporaries. The main purpose of this article is to highlight his contribution on toxicology and the use of mercury.

1. Introduction

The main purpose of this article is to highlight the great impact of Paracelsus, a German-Swiss alchemist and physician of the 16th century, on toxicology. Paracelsus is recognized as the most influential medical scientist in Western Europe during the Renaissance. He travelled extensively throughout Europe to learn medicinal and wound healing techniques. For example, he studied chemistry and toxicology while working in the mines of Austria, where he observed miners’ diseases caused by the fumes of melted metals in the laboratories. He interacted with physicians and alchemists from Spain to the Netherlands and Alexandria (Egypt). Paracelsus rejected Galen’s (129-c. 200) and Avicenna’s (980–1037) theories of medicine and pharmacopeia, which had prevailed for 15 centuries, and instead introduced the use of chemical substances, such as minerals, into medicine. He was also th

I recently found myself going down the rabbit hole of Japanese manga and anime fandom online. Now, this is something I know nothing about. I’ve never really been into anime or manga, but I was fascinated to learn about Van Hohenheim or ‘Hohenheim of Light’, a character who is a powerful alchemist in the anime series Fullmetal Alchemist, clearly inspired by the historical alchemist Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim (1493-1541), better known as Paracelsus. From what I read, it seems that this series uses many alchemical concepts, including the homunculus, which I will talk about later. Of course, it’s sensationalised and highly exaggerated – in all fairness, the series isn’t pretending to be historically accurate or anything. But still, centuries after Paracelsus, it’s incredible to see how he is still a part of the conversation when it comes to alchemy. Paracelsus was one of the most controversial people of his day and his work and those of his followers deeply shaped the history of science and medicine. So I thought it would be interesting to introduce him (even though he’s not remotely as handsome as ‘Hohenheim of Light’) and to talk a little bit about Paracelsianism too, from its connection to magic and alchemy, Protestantism and reform, to the idea of chemical medicine, and even creating life from dead matter – like a proto-Frankenstein tale of sorts, believe it or not! Of course, although this is a long text, it’s just an introduction to all these subjects, and if you want to learn more, I highly suggest checking out the reading recommendations at the end. Now, without further ado, let’s dive into it!

An Adventurous Character

Paracelsus was born in the Swiss village of Einsiedeln around 1493. His parents’ marriage was what we could call ‘mixed-class’, since his father was descended from the nobility, although he

Damien Ihrig, MA, MLIS
Curator, John Martin Rare Book Room

Continuing with our introductions of new acquisitions, this month I cover a work whose author influenced medical thought for centuries. For longtime readers of Notes From the Rare Book Room (the previous incarnation of this newsletter) and history of medicine aficionados, the name Paracelsus is a very familiar one.

Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim is universally known as Paracelsus, a name given to him by others who saw him as a genius "surpassing Celsus" (a 2nd-Century Greek philosopher). He was born in Switzerland in 1493 and educated at Basel, a center of Renaissance humanism. There, he was eventually appointed town physician and professor at the University of Basel. His unorthodox ideas and teachings, though (and perhaps his heavy drinking and impatience with those in power), put him in conflict with the orthodox establishment of his time and Paracelsus spent most of his life wandering through Europe as an itinerant physician, chemist, theologian, and philosopher.

Paracelsus was a creative medical visionary during the Renaissance. Like many of his scientific and medical contemporaries, he stressed the value of observation when describing the structures and functions of life. Credited as the "father of toxicology," he described the modern concept of "dose-response" in his Third Defense. Here he stated that "Solely the dose determines that a thing is not a poison.". In other words, everything is poison if you get too much of it.

This targeted approach to administering medicines was counter to the prevalent strategy of applying cure-alls. This is due, in part, to his rejection of the classic "balancing of the humors" approach to healing, and his insistence that illnesses have an environmental component. Among other things, Paracelsus is also credited for coining the terms "gas," "alcohol," and "chemistry".

Although his ideas were heavily influ