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LINE OF ALCHEMICAL BELIEF AND TRADITION

Select an approximate year:
1300 1400 1500 1600

1300

"GEBER": pseudonym for a man of unknown identity, probably a Spaniard. No connection with the earlier JABIR, upon whose fame he capitalized. About 1300, he wrote:

"SUMMA PERFECTIONIS MAGISTERII,"
"DE INVENTIONE VERITATIS,"
"DE INVESTIGATIONE PERFECTIONIS," and
"LIBER FORNACUM."

His works had great influence on later chemists because of the clear way in which he set forth his own considerable experience in practical chemical manipulations. He described for the first time the use of sulfuric and nitric acids.

ARNALDUS OF VILLANOVA (1235?--1312) wrote

"THESAURORUM ET ROSARIUM PHILOSOPHORUM" and
"NOVUM LUMEN"

both of which were full of obscurity and charlatanry.

RAYMUNDUS LULLUS (1235--1315) was a Minorite friar who wrote copiously on logic and philosophy.

It is very doubtful that either Arnaldus or Raymundus Lullus were really the authors of the alchemical works that were attributed to them.

PETRUS BONUS wrote "INTRODUCTION TO THE ARTS OF ALCHEMY" (1330) --- an elaborate treatise on alchemical philosophy.

Note that decrees against the practice of alchemy were issued by

Pope John XXII {1317}
The General of the Dominicans {1323}

These condemnations led to much surreptitious writing, secrecy, use of pseudonyms, and to much imposture and charlatanry. Chemists were held in low repute, being, as a class, men of meagre attainments, except those working in the technical arts.

1400

1500

AGE OF IATROCHEMISTRY
Iatrochemistry, {from "iatros" = doctor (Greek) } meaning application of chemistry to medicine; connected often with 17th Century Dutch medical school and its explanation and discussion of vital functions via chemical processes.)

BRUNSCHWIG of Strassburg: "KLEINES DISTILLERBUCH" (Little Book of Distillation)(1500). Describes the beginning of application of chemical products and processes to medicine.

PARACELSUS--- First real Iatrochemist. A practicing physician, he attacked the ancient medical authorities. Most important influence was in showing the value of chemistry in the development of medicine. Possessed wide information of the chemistry of his time and emphasized the experimental method, though not himself an investigator or discoverer of any important facts.

"It is from the time of Paracelsus that the true commencement of chemical investigation is to be dated."
---T. Thomson.

The TRIA PRIMA of PARACELSUS. All matter consists of:

mercury--- fusibility, volatility, liquidity.
sulphur--- combustibility.
salt--- non-combustibility, involatility.

Modifications of the TRIA PRIMA soon made, especially addition of two passive principles---phlegm and earth---to the three "active."
Paracelsus was first to describe zinc.

Campaign for and against chemistry in medicine.

1600

As the application of chemistry to medicine increases, "alchemy" becomes a less important branch of chemistry. Alchemy becomes associated with various secret orders (e.g., the Rosicrucians), and its mystical aspects become exaggerated. "Alchemists" appear who have no relation to practical chemistry. (further notes on the Experimental Reform of Alchemy)

BASIL VALENTINE: A pseudonym for a certain publisher---JOHANN THÖLDE--- who issued under this name, in 1604, "THE TRIUMPHAL CHARIOT OF ANTIMONY," a description of the chemistry of antimony.

Daniel SENNERT, in his rudimentary Atomic Theory, substituted water for mercury (in the TRIA PRIMA).

1650

During this period, the following "alchemists" seem actually to believe in transmutation:

SALA
SENNERT
VAN HELMONT
SYLVIUS
BOYLE
GLAUBER
TACHENIUS had some doubts or disbelief in Alchemy.

More and more widespread science based upon observation, measurement and interpretation (and shared freely via publication) brought about a gradual elimination of alchemy as an important activity.