Paracelsus Reformation

Apostle of the New Creation in Hans-Jurgen Goertz (ed.), Profiles of Radical Reformers (Ontario Herald Press, 1982), 255-68, quote from page 265. See also Walter Pagel, Paracelsus (second rev. ed., Basel, 1982), 40—44. 

Bayon, H.P. Paracelsus personality, doctrines and his alleged influence in the reform of medicine. Proc Roy SocMed 25 (Nov 1941) 69-76. 

Bernouilli, Rene. Paracelsus physician, reformer, philosophy, scientist. Experientia 50, no. 4 (15 Apr 1994) 334-338. 

Stillman, John Maxson. Paracelsus as a chemist and reformer of chemistry. Monist 29, no. 1 (Jan 1919) 106-124. 

Stillman, John Maxson. Paracelsus his personality influence as physician, chemist reformer. Chicago (IL) Open Court, 1920 reprint, Klla (MT) Kessinger, 1997. viii, 184 p. ISBN 1-564-59529-3... 

Weeks, Andrew. Paracelsus speculative theory and the crisis of the early Reformation. State Univ of New York P, 1997. 

Pagel, Walter. Van Helmont s reformation of the Galenic doctrine of digestion -and Paracelsus. Bull Hist Med 29, no. 6 (Nov-Dec 1955) 563-568. 

On reform with a distance from Paracelsus, see the works of Fioravanti, Drouet, and later Joseph Duchesne STC. Banister, William Clowes, and others distinguished between good and bad Paracelsians Debus, English Paracelsians, 69. 

Cf. the noble intentions of many early modern reformers Clark, Thinkingwith Demons, 222 Webster, Paracelsus to Newton, 59. 

Another persistent feature in the campaign for reform in medicine, was his often emphasized conviction of the necessity of experiment and experience to the physician as against looking for all knowledge to the traditional authorities. It will be recalled that the value of experiment in science had been earnestly preached by Roger Bacon though his logic fell on unappreciative ears in the thirteenth century. The sixteenth century, however, found minds more responsive to the appeal of Paracelsus. 

For a more general account of the life and work of Paracelsus see tho author s work Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohcnhcim, called Paracelsns, His Personality and Influence as Physician, Chemist, and Reformer. The Open Court Pub. Co., Chicago and London, 1920. 

J. M. Stillman, Paracelsus, his Personality and Influence as a Physician, Chemist and Reformer, new edn., Kessinger Publications, Kila, MT, 1997. 

There is also a medical side to alchemy. The great Swiss physician and reformer Paracelsus (1493—1541) worked largely in medicine, and in his alchemy can be seen the origins of modern homeopathy. This tradition claimed its modern disciples in Archibald Cockren and Armand Barbault, both of whom saw it as a valuable complementary medicine. The popularity of alternative... 

Whilst Europe was experiencing the great changes wrought by Humanism and the Reformation, alchemy had its own reformer in the shape of Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, who adopted the nom de plume of Paracelsus. 

The so-called Christ of Medicine , a major medical reformer and iconoclast, whose many enemies put it about that his death in 1541 was due to a drunken orgy (he may have in fact either been assassinated or died of rickets). The word bombastic derives from Paracelsus it was his nature, as well as being one of his middle names. A huge school sprang up after his death (see below). For more on his work, see Chapter 2. 

Pagel, W. (1982). foan Baptista Van Helmont. Reformer of Science and Medicine. Cambridge 60. See also Pagel, W. (1986). From Paracelsus to Van Helmont Studies in Renaissance Medicine and Science. Cambridge. 

Franz de le Boe, called Sylvius (1614-1672) had all the personal qualities required of a successful clinician and teacher, that both Paracelsus and van Helmont so obviously lacked. He was bom in Hanau in Hesse, got his medical degree in Basel and was appointed professor of medicine at the University of Leyden in 1658. Here he reformed the medical education and introduced systematic clinical training of the students by demonstrations of patients in the wards, following teaching principles first developed in Italy. 

See for example A.Weeks, Paracelsus Speculative Theory and the Crisis of the Early Reformation, Albany, State University of New York Press, 1997. 

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