Paracelsus: A Doctor, Alchemist And Astrologer

Although most people know him as Paracelsus, his real name was Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim. Paracelsus was one of the most interesting figures in the history of medicine and science. He was considered by some to be a bit crazy, and by most as a very imaginative visionary.

One of Paracelsus’ best qualities was his great intellectual  ambition . He was very interested in finding the stones of the wise, or the stones of the philosophers. An unknown substance that reportedly could turn base metals into silver and gold. He also wanted to find the elixir of immortality, for which he worked incredibly hard.

Through all his wonderful adventures, Paracelsus became an extraordinary scientist. Many consider him the father of modern toxicology and pharmacology. One could say that Paracelsus was a type of hybrid between magician and scientist. He was definitely ahead of his time, given that he held on to his mythical and mystical beliefs.

The beginning of a genius

Paracelsus was born in 1493, in an area near what is now Zurich, in Switzerland. Several members of his family were doctors, including his father, which no doubt influenced his interest in this subject.

During his youth he worked as a mining analyst. This gave him considerable knowledge of minerals, which would later be crucial to his work. When he was 17 years old, he went to study at the University of Vienna. A few years later, he received his doctorate from the University of Ferrara.

Paracelsus was convinced that medicine was not something one could learn in an institution. From the very beginning, he was very critical of official medicine at the time. He questioned the teachings of Hippocrates, Avicenna, and Galen. Because of this, his colleagues were a little anxious about him.

Paracelsus was an experimenter

Very early on, Paracelsus chose to experiment on his own and to work directly with those affected by the disease. This led to him gaining a bad reputation in his professional community. People also judged him because of his physical appearance. He was short, bald and overweight, which led many people to reject him. Maybe that’s why this genius preferred the company to the most defenseless members of society.

The experiments and the innovative methods he began to use successfully also created many rumors. People said he had made a covenant with the devil. He thus became popularly known as “the accursed doctor”. They accused him of magic and sorcery, even though he had a firm and deep faith in God.

The tension between him and his colleagues, as well as other authorities, led to him becoming a wandering man. It did not take long before he began to experience conflicts with those around him wherever he went, so he wanted to leave the place and move on to a new one. However, he was also known for being a very skilled doctor.

Paracelsus was interested in alchemy and chemistry

Paracelsus used minerals and chemicals to treat disease, something no one else did at the time. This allowed him to treat patients who had, by the standards of the time, incurable diseases. There is evidence that he treated cases of epilepsy, leprosy and gout. He was the first doctor to identify syphilis, and suggested treatment with mercury for the disease.

This extraordinary scientist also invented laudanum. This was one of the first, if not the first, chemical painkillers. In addition, he examined toxins in detail and formulated a saying that remains to this day: “Only the dose determines whether something is a poison” .

Unlike the other doctors of his time, Paracelsus was very close to his patients. He also believed that his knowledge should be made available to the public. For that reason , he lectured to local communities and explained his science in simple language.

Paracelsus approach to medicine

Paracelsus stated that medicine had four main axes: science, astronomy, chemistry and love. He claimed that plants and minerals were not healing by themselves. Instead, he believed that in order to be effective, they needed goodness and inspiration from God.

Unlike his colleagues, he firmly believed in the goodness of operations. At that time, barbers were the only ones who performed operations, and only under very specific circumstances. Hundreds of years later, many physicians felt inspired by their methods.

It is important to note that not all other doctors looked at him with suspicion. Among his admirers was none other than Erasmus of Rotterdam, who had Paracelsus as his personal physician and friend. A German prince also gave him his protection.

Paracelsus died at a young age, only 47 years old. He was assaulted and killed by a group of thugs who want to rob him. However, this was a total waste, as he had already donated all his possessions to the poor.