Chemical classification Libavius

Bruno was an early atomist, writing on The Principles, elements and causes of things (1590), while Andreas Libavius (1597) developed the study of alchemy in two directions encheiria, the manipulation of materials, and chymia, the preparation and classification of chemicals. Biringuccio (1540, Pirotechnia) wrote of fireworks, Agricola (1556, De re metallica) of metals, Neri (1612, L Arte Vetraria) of glass... 

Figure 2.3 Libavius s classification of chemical species. FromLibavius [1597].

Libavius s encaptic system did not achieve the ordering of aU chemical species in an unambiguous way that is, without overlapping taxa. But this aspect of his classification is not at stake here. Our goal is not to provide a comprehensive analysis of Libavius s taxonomic system, but merely to analyze his criteria for classification. 

In summary, in the theoretical part of his Traicte Le Febvre divided the realm of materials first by grouping them into the two large classes of natural mixts and pure substances. He further classified the natural mixts according to their origin from the three natural kingdoms. His classification of pure substances—certain kinds of chemical preparations—relied on a taxonomic criterion that combined perceptible features of chemical operations with their interpretation as either purification or exaltation —a mode of classification also chosen by Libavius. The further subdivision of essences and other kinds of pure substances relied on their perceptible properties and medical virtues. 

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