Paracelsus (Philip Aureol Theophrastus Bombast von Hohenheim) - biography. Paracelsus: biography, interesting facts and video Years of life of Paracelsus

For twenty-five centuries, European culture has undergone a lot of changes in the development of medicine. Rules and principles, attitudes and values ​​- all this was not constant, especially in the Renaissance, which, like a sudden chaos, replaced the era of conservatism and an established worldview. This historical period, indeed, was considered one of the most difficult. It was at this time that the brilliant Paracelsus, a philosopher and doctor, presented his teachings and works to mankind, whose moral medicine and ethics have firmly entered world science and are of great value even for modern times.

Briefly about the history of the life of a philosopher

Philip Aureol Theophrastus Bombast is the full real name he was given at birth. Paracelsus in Greek means "enlightened" or "exalted" - that's what his followers and scientists of that era called him. The great scientist was born in 1493 near the modern city of Zurich in a Swiss village in the family of a famous doctor. FROM early years Wilhelm - the father of the future genius - taught his son alchemy, the basics of therapy and the basics of surgery. In fact, his father was his main mentor and friend.

At the age of 16, a young novice scientist was sent to study at a university in the city of Basel. Then Johann Trithemius, a well-known abbot at the monastery of St. James, took up his education. It was there that Paracelsus showed a special attraction to the study of the occult sciences and medicine. He owed his knowledge and understanding of many foundations of alchemy to the famous scientist Fugger, who let him into his workshop and passed on valuable secrets. In general, a fairly large number of doctors, alchemists and even soothsayers, midwives and gypsies took part in replenishing the knowledge box of the future doctor. Already at a young age, he was envied by many colleagues and admired simple people, for he cured those with whom the most talented doctors worked long and unsuccessfully. Particular hatred and anger caused the desire and ability of Paracelsus to provide people with free medical care. But in spite of everything, he was not going to give up his habits.

It was difficult to call this person sophisticated. He even received a lot of different nicknames from acquaintances, and most often for his untidy appearance. In addition, he did not feel the craving for acquiring new knowledge through reading - this activity was one of the most disliked for the doctor. However, he did not neglect any of the sources of obtaining new knowledge and used every slightest opportunity to learn something new.

In 1525, an outstanding scientist was invited to work at the University of Basel, where he headed the professorial department. At the same time, he tirelessly helped ordinary people and continued to develop progressive views, which sometimes even ended in scandals. He did not like to take care of the beauty of the style, but his activities daily attracted the attention of dozens of students who were drawn to him for knowledge and experience. One of the most scandalous acts of Paracelsus was the burning of the volume of Avicenna, which shocked all university professors.

Unusual lectures and applause from admiring students, the prestigious position of chief physician in the city hospital and the right to visit all pharmacies with a check in order to avoid fraud with medicines - all this led to the fact that the great doctor had a lot of both adherents and enemies.

Medical ethics of Paracelsus

Paracelsus did not dwell on the study of biomedicine and chemistry. He paid attention to many sciences, and his works were distinguished by their clarity, sharpness, and clear expression of thoughts. He confirmed all his arguments and convictions with biblical quotations, since he was a true Christian. Paracelsus managed to build a special model of moral medicine. About its meaning further on www.site ...

The Moral Medicine of Paracelsus

According to this model, moral relationships should form the basis of the therapeutic strategy of any doctor. He insisted that a trusting relationship should develop between the doctor and the patient, spiritual contacts should be established. Without this, he did not see the success of the treatment. Thanks to this model of moral medicine, the great scientist and philosopher was considered the founder of mental treatment on an empirical level.

The basic principle that guided the doctor in his work was: "Do good, do mercy." The scientist based his psychotherapeutic practice on the high ethics of the doctor. Thus, the relationship between the physician and the patient was likened to a dialogue between a spiritual mentor and a novice, and the moral state of the patient, in his opinion, required great attention.

Paracelsus used drugs in the treatment of people, which, in fact, today we call homeopathic remedies. He was sure that they should be accepted with an understanding of the purpose and with a willingness to participate in his recovery. To assimilate not only the herbal part of medicines, but also their “information bioshell” - this is what the philosopher insisted on, trying to heal patients at the mental level. Through conversations, he tried to set people up for bright thoughts. Centuries have passed since the time of Paracelsus...

Thus, almost an entire era is associated with moral principles great philosopher and scientist. In the eighteenth century, his views and beliefs on the processes of treatment are replaced by another model based not on morality, on a sense of accomplishment by the doctor towards the patient. Paracelsus himself went down in history not only thanks to his ethics, but also due to a number of developments in the field of chemistry, which gave impetus to the development and formation of modern pharmacology.

Everything in the world is poison and everything is medicine, it's only a matter of dose

Paracelsus(real name Philip Aureol Theophrastus Bombast von Hohenheim, von Hohenheim) (1493-1541) - a renowned physician and naturalist, one of the founders of iatrochemistry, natural philosopher and alchemist of the Renaissance. He subjected the ideas of ancient medicine to a critical revision. Contributed to the introduction of chemicals in medicine. He wrote and taught not in Latin, but in German.

Education

Already in the years of teaching, Paracelsus became interested in chemistry. He not only made experiments, but also worked in mines and mining plants. But the most great importance Paracelsus gave the use of chemistry in medicine, which led to the emergence of iatrochemistry.

When Paracelsus was a student, chemistry as a separate specialty was not taught at universities. Theoretical ideas about chemical phenomena were considered in the course of philosophy in the light of general ideas about the emergence and disappearance of substances. Numerous apothecaries and alchemists were engaged in experimental work in the field of chemistry. The latter, making experiments on the "transmutation" of metals, not only discovered new ways to obtain various substances, but also developed natural philosophical teachings. ancient Greek philosophers Aristotle, Empedocles, Leucippus, Democritus. According to these teachings, all substances in nature are composed of simpler parts called elements. Such elements, according to Leucippus and Democritus, were atoms - the smallest particles of qualityless primary matter, differing only in size and shape.

In 1515 Theophrastus received the degree of doctor of medicine in Florence. But the acquired knowledge did not satisfy Paracelsus. Observing how doctors often turn out to be powerless at the bedside of the sick with their knowledge that has changed quite a bit since antiquity, Paracelsus decided to improve this area by introducing new ideas about diseases and methods of treating patients into it. When creating a new system of medicine, Paracelsus relied on the knowledge he gained during his travels to different countries.

According to him, he listened to lectures by medical luminaries at major universities, at medical schools in Paris and Montpellier, visited Italy and Spain. Was in Lisbon, then went to England, changed course to Lithuania, wandered into Poland, Hungary, Wallachia, Croatia. And everywhere diligently and diligently asked and memorized the secrets of the art of healing. Not only doctors, but also barbers, bath attendants, healers. He tried to find out how they take care of the sick, what means they use.

Then Paracelsus practiced everything he had learned during his search. For some time he served as a doctor in the army of the Danish king Christian, participated in his campaigns, worked as a paramedic in the Dutch army. Army practice gave him the richest material.

In 1524, Paracelsus finally decided to stop his wanderings and settle in Salzburg; however, a year later, the scientist had to urgently leave this city, since his support for the struggle of the peasants against the feudal lords incurred the wrath of the city authorities.

The scientist spent 1526 in Strasbourg, and the following year he was invited to the post of city doctor in the large Swiss trading city of Basel. Paracelsus managed to cure one rich man, who could not be helped by the best doctors of the city. He was invited to take the chair of medicine at the University of Basel. At the very first lecture, before the eyes of the astonished students, he burned the works of Galen and Avicenna and declared that even the ties of his shoes knew more than these ancient sputum-makers.

At the city university, Paracelsus began lecturing for the first time to medical students in German instead of traditional Latin. So the new professor fought against the dogmatic medicine of the Middle Ages, closely connected with theology.

The philosophical views of Paracelsus, set forth by him in many works, boiled down to the following: there must be harmony between nature and man. Necessary condition creating a reasonable social order are the joint labor of people and their equal participation in the use of material goods. In the philosophical works of Paracelsus, the main arguments are also given against the theological ideology of the Middle Ages, hostile to natural science, and a sharp criticism of social relations in the days of feudalism and the era of early capitalism is given.

In 1528, Paracelsus had to secretly leave Basel, where he was threatened with trial for freethinking. He is forced to wander in the mountainous regions of Aschenzell, moving from village to village, occasionally healing the peasants.

Paracelsus wanted to stay in Colmar, to engage in medical practice, but he stayed there for only six months. He could not put up with the ignorance, the quackery of persons dressed in doctoral robes, and in Colmar remained true to himself.

In Colmar, they talked about Paracelsus as about the most skillful doctor. He was able to raise patients to their feet, whom other doctors considered hopeless. His popularity grew, but not everyone liked his independent behavior, harsh judgments about his fellows in the shop, and the rejection of blind admiration for authorities. In addition, Paracelsus was engaged in alchemy, diligently studied the works of Eastern magicians and mystics.

A person who is carried away, inquisitive, Paracelsus showed interest in everything where, as it seemed to him, something new could be discovered. He was mistaken, often fell into the thrall of superstitious ideas, suffered setbacks, but continued his search. All this gave food for various conjectures that Paracelsus entered into intercourse with the devil himself. The situation was aggravated by the fact that Catholics continued to maintain their positions in Colmar. They zealously watched to ensure that no one dared to make judgments that ran counter to established ideas. Only canons consecrated by the Catholic Church were recognized as valid, any attempt to subject them to revision was declared blasphemous. At any moment, Paracelsus could be charged with heresy and massacred against him.

From Colmar, the wanderer's path lay in Esslingen, and then Paracelsus moved to Nuremberg, where he hoped to publish his writings. By that time he had written a lot. In his travel luggage lay several hundred pages of essays. He wrote down his observations, drew conclusions, expressed his own opinions. He was extremely efficient. There is evidence that Paracelsus sometimes spent desk for several days in a row, almost without sleep.

Finally, happiness smiled at him, one after another, Paracelsus managed to publish four books. But then unexpectedly followed the decision of the city magistrate to prohibit the further printing of his works. The reason for this was the demand of professors and doctors of the medical faculty of the University of Leipzig, who were indignant at the writings of Paracelsus. They could not accept the innovations of Paracelsus, because they were in the grip of the prevailing ideas, which were perceived as the truth. And then, in desperation, he abandoned everything and left Nuremberg, heading to Innsbruck, hoping to finally take up a permanent medical practice, which he pretty much yearned for. But the burgomaster did not believe that the man who appeared in Innsbruck in a torn dress and with rough hands, like those of a simple peasant, was a doctor and ordered the impostor to leave the city.

Accidentally learning that there is an epidemic of plague in Sterzing, Paracelsus goes to this city. Going around the houses of the sick, preparing his medicines, he persistently tried to understand what were the causes of this terrible disease, how epidemics could be prevented, and by what means the patients should be treated.

But when the epidemic ended, Paracelsus was not needed in Sterzing either. He was forced to wander along the roads again, changing city after city, hoping that in one of them the city authorities would nevertheless honor him with attention. But even where the authorities would not have been averse to inviting Paracelsus, the Catholic clergy strongly objected, and the Protestants always considered Paracelsus an undesirable person.

And suddenly happiness smiled at him again. In Ulm, and then in Augsburg, his work "Great Surgery" was published. And this book did what Paracelsus had been striving for for many years - it made people talk about him as an outstanding physician.

Like the alchemists, Paracelsus proceeded from the idea that all substances are composed of elements that can combine with each other. During the decomposition of substances, the elements are separated, but unlike the alchemists, Paracelsus emphasized the material nature of the three principles of "sulphur" - the beginning of combustibility, "mercury" - the beginning of volatility, "salt" - the beginning of fire resistance. Considering that each of the four elements of Aristotle should consist of these principles, Paracelsus wrote "Each element consists of three principles - mercury, sulfur and salt."

Essentially new in the teachings of Paracelsus was that he considered the composition of all bodies in the same way, including the human body. Man, Paracelsus believed, is formed by the spirit, soul and body. Violation of the mutual balance of the main elements leads to illness. If there is an excess of sulfur in the body, then a person becomes ill with a fever or plague. Too much mercury causes paralysis, and too much salt causes indigestion and dropsy. The doctor's task is to find out the relationship between the main elements in the patient's body and restore their balance. Therefore, this disturbed balance can be restored with the help of certain chemicals. Therefore, the primary task of chemistry Paracelsus considered the search for substances that could be used as medicines. To this end, he tested the effect on people of various compounds of copper, lead, mercury, antimony, arsenic. Paracelsus acquired particular fame, very successfully using mercury preparations for the treatment of syphilis, which was widespread at that time.

Paracelsus did a lot of chemical experiments. He composed medicines, experimented, and dictated the results to a secretary who wrote them down and translated them into Latin. Many of his thoughts were distorted in translation, and then again corrupted by enemies.

Paracelsus was accused of "turning living bodies into chemical laboratories, where various organs, like stills, ovens, retorts, reagents, dissolve, macerate (soak - Approx. auth.), Sublimate nutrients."

Today it would be said that Paracelsus modeled the processes of interest to him. His chemical model of the life of the organism was crude, but materialistic and progressive for its era. So, after the publication of the book, the position of Dr. Paracelsus happily changed. He is accepted into best houses, noble nobles turn to him. He treats Marshal of the Kingdom of Bohemia Johann von Leipnik. In Vienna, King Ferdinand himself honors him with attention.

His last refuge is Salzburg. Finally, he can take up medical practice and write works, not worrying that tomorrow, perhaps, he will have to move to another city. He has his own little house on the outskirts, has an office, his own laboratory. Paracelsus now has everything, except for one thing - health. A fatal illness lies in wait for him on one of the September days of 1541.

A large stone was placed on the grave of Paracelsus in Salzburg. The carver carved on it a simple inscription: “Here is buried Philip-Theophrastus, an excellent doctor of medicine, who had severe wounds, leprosy, gout, dropsy and other incurable diseases of the body perfect art healed and bequeathed his property to be divided and donated to the poor. In 1541 on the 24th day of September Paracelsus changed life to death. (Samin D.K. 100 great scientists. - M .: Veche, 2000)

famous Swiss alchemist, physician, philosopher, naturalist, natural philosopher of the Renaissance, one of the founders of iatrochemistry

short biography

Paracelsus(lat. Paracelsus, real name Philip Aureol Theophrastus Bombast von Hohenheim, German Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombast von Hohenheim; October 24, 1493, the city of Eg, canton Schwyz - September 24, 1541, Salzburg) - the famous Swiss alchemist, physician, philosopher, naturalist, natural philosopher of the Renaissance, one of the founders of iatrochemistry. Subjected to a critical revision of the ideas of ancient medicine. Contributed to the introduction of chemicals in medicine. Considered one of the founders of modern science.

Recognized as the greatest occultist of the Middle Ages and the wisest physician of his time.

The pseudonym Paracelsus, invented by him, in Latin means “surpassed Celsus”, the ancient Roman encyclopedist and expert in medicine of the first century BC. e.

Contemporaries compared the activities of Paracelsus with those of Luther, since, like Luther in religion, Paracelsus was a great reformer. medical science and practices.

Paracelsus was born into the family of a doctor who came from an old but impoverished noble family. Mother worked as a nurse in the abbey. He was of a very frail appearance - a large head and thin, crooked legs. In the family, Paracelsus received an excellent education in medicine and philosophy. By the age of 16, he knew the basics of surgery, therapy and was well versed in the basics of alchemy. At the age of 16, Paracelsus left home forever and went to study at the University of Basel. After that, he studied at Würzburg with Abbot Johann Trithemius, one of the greatest adepts of magic, alchemy and astrology. Paracelsus received his university education in Ferrara, where he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Medicine.

Wandering

From 1517, Paracelsus made numerous travels and, perhaps, was the forerunner or founder of the secret societies that appear in the 17th century in Europe), visited various universities in Europe, participated as a physician in military campaigns, visited the imperial lands, France, England, Scotland, Spain, Portugal, the Scandinavian countries, Poland, Lithuania, Prussia, Hungary, Transylvania, Wallachia, the states of the Apennine Peninsula (there were rumors that he had been to North Africa, Palestine, Constantinople, Russia and in Tatar captivity).

According to Van Helmont, in 1521 Paracelsus arrived in Constantinople and received the Philosopher's Stone there. The adept from whom Paracelsus received this stone was, as mentioned in a certain book "Aureum vellus" ( The Golden Fleece- Lat.) (printed in Rorschach in 1598), a certain Solomon Trismozin, or Pfeiffer, a compatriot of Paracelsus. It is said that this Trismosin also possessed a panacea; they say that at the end of the 17th century he was still alive: some French traveler saw him.

Paracelsus traveled around the Danubian countries and visited Italy, where he served as a military surgeon in the imperial army and took part in many military expeditions of that time. In his wanderings, he collected a lot of useful information, not only from doctors, surgeons and alchemists, but also communicating with executioners, barbers, shepherds, midwives and soothsayers. He drew knowledge both from the great and from the small, from scientists and among the common people; he could be found in the company of cattle drivers or vagabonds, on the roads and in taverns, which served as an occasion for cruel reproaches and reproaches, which, in their narrow-mindedness, heaped upon his enemies. After ten years of wandering, sometimes practicing his art of medicine, sometimes teaching or studying, as was the custom of those times, alchemy and magic, at the age of thirty-two he returned back to Germany, where he soon became famous after several amazing cases of healing the sick.

In 1526 he acquired the right of a burgher in Strasbourg, and in 1527, under the patronage of the famous book publisher Johann Froben, he became the city doctor of Basel. Also in 1527, on the recommendation of Oxcolampadius, the city council appointed him professor of physics, medicine and surgery, putting a high salary. At the University of Basel, he taught a course of medicine in German, which was a challenge to the entire university tradition, which obliged him to teach only in Latin. His lectures, unlike the speeches of his colleagues, were not a simple repetition of the opinions of Galen, Hippocrates and Avicenna, the presentation of which was the only occupation of professors of medicine of that time. His teaching was really his own, and he taught it without regard to the opinions of others, thus earning the applause of his students and horrifying his orthodox colleagues by violating the established custom of teaching only that which could be reliably backed up by established, generally accepted evidence, whether or not it is compatible with reason and truth. In 1528, as a result of a conflict with the city authorities, Paracelsus moved to Colmar. At this time, he was excommunicated from the academy for almost 10 years.

In 1529 and 1530 visited Esslingen and Nuremberg. "Real" doctors from Nuremberg slandered him as a swindler, a charlatan and an impostor. To refute their accusations, he asked the city council to entrust him with the treatment of several patients whose diseases were considered incurable. Several patients with elephantiasis were sent to him, whom he cured in a short time, without asking for any payment. Evidence of this can be found in the Nuremberg City Archives.

Paracelsus invented several effective medicines. One of his major achievements is the explanation of the nature and causes of silicosis (an occupational disease of miners).

In subsequent years, Paracelsus traveled a lot, wrote, treated, researched, set up alchemical experiments, and conducted astrological observations. In 1530, in one of the castles of Beratzhausen, he completed work on Paragranum (1535). After a short stay in Augsburg and Regensburg, he moved to St. Gallen and at the beginning of 1531 finished here a long-term work on the origin and course of diseases "Paramirum" (1532). In 1533 he stopped at Villach, where he wrote The Labyrinth of Erroneous Physicians (1533) and The Chronicle of Cartinia (1535).

Paracelsus described a disease of miners ("Schneeberg lung disease"; "Von der Bersucht und anderen Bergkrankheiten" written by him presumably in 1533-1534, but published only after the scientist's death in 1567), which was later identified as lung cancer. The disease of miners turned out to be associated with exposure to ionizing radiation of radon and short-lived products of its decay, which accumulate in the air of poorly ventilated mines.

Last years

AT last years life, the treatises "Philosophy" (1534), "Secret Philosophy" (the first edition was translated into Flemish, 1533), "Great Astronomy" (1531) and a number of small natural philosophical works, including "The Book of Nymphs, Sylphs , pygmies, salamanders, giants and other spirits" (1536).

After that, he traveled to Meren, Carinthia, Carniola and Hungary, and eventually settled in Salzburg, where he was invited by Duke Ernst, Count Palatine of Bavaria, a great lover of secret sciences. There, Paracelsus was finally able to see the fruits of his labors and gain fame. Finally, he can take up medical practice and write works, not worrying that tomorrow, perhaps, he will have to move to another city. He has his own house on the outskirts, an office and a laboratory.

On September 24, 1541, while in a small room at the White Horse Hotel on the Salzburg embankment, he died after a short illness (at the age of 48 and three days). He was buried in the cemetery of the city church of St. Sebastian.

The circumstances of his death are still not clear, but the most recent research confirms the version of his contemporaries, according to which Paracelsus, during a dinner party, was treacherously attacked by bandits hired by one of the healers, his enemies, and as a result of falling on a stone, he broke his skull, which a few days later and resulted in death.

Posthumously

The German doctor S. T. von Semmering examined the skull of Paracelsus, which, due to its unusual structure, cannot be confused with any other, and noticed a crack passing through the temporal bone (the skull was often touched, and over time it increased and became clearly visible). He is sure that such a crack could only have occurred during the life of Paracelsus, since the bones of a hard, but old and dried-up skull could not be divided in this way.

The remains of Paracelsus were exhumed in 1572 during the reconstruction of the building of the church of St. Sebastian and reburied behind the wall that surrounds the courtyard in front of the chapel of St. Philip Neri, attached to the church, where a monument to him now stands.

Monument

In the center of the white marble pyramid there is an indentation with his portrait, and above there is an inscription:

• Latin: Philippi Theophrasti Paracelsi qui tantam orbis farnam ex auro chymico adeptus esf effigies et ossa donee rursus circumdabitur pelle sua.;
• translation: “Philip Theophrastus Paracelsus, who acquired such great world fame for [discovering] chemical gold, image and bones; until it is again covered with its flesh.”

Under the portrait:

• Sub reparatione ecclesiae MDCCLXXII. ex sepulchrali eruta heic locata sunt.;
• “Because of the renovation of the church [in the year] 1772, they dug out of the smoldering grave due to an epidemic and placed here” [the bones of Paracelsus].

Based on the monument:

• Conditur hic Philippus Theophrastus insignis Medicinae Doctor qui dira ilia vulnera Lepram Podagram Hydropsin aliaque insanabilia corporis contagia mirifica arte sustulit et bona sua in pauperes distribuenda locandaque honoravit. Anno MDXXXXI. Die xxiv. Septembris vitam cum morte mutavit.;
• “Here lies Philip Theophrastus, Doctor of Medicine, who healed many ulcers, leprosy, gout, dropsy and some incurable contagious diseases of the body with miraculous art and honored the poor with the distribution and giving of his property. In the year 1541, on the 24th day of September, he changed life for death.

Under this inscription is the coat of arms of Paracelsus in the form of a silvery ray, on which three black balls are located one after the other, and below the words:

• Pax vivis requies aeterna sepultis.;
• Peace to the living, eternal rest to the dead.

On the black board on the left side of the monument there is a translation of these words into German. The last two inscriptions were clearly transferred from the original monument, and the one relating to the portrait was added in 1572.

Teachings of Paracelsus

• Medieval medicine, which was based on the theories of Aristotle, Galen and Avicenna, he opposed "spagyric" medicine, created on the basis of the teachings of Hippocrates. He taught that living organisms consist of the same mercury, sulfur, salts and a number of other substances that form all other bodies of nature; when a person is healthy, these substances are in balance with each other; disease means the predominance or, conversely, the lack of one of them. He was one of the first to use chemical agents in the treatment.
• Paracelsus is considered the forerunner of modern pharmacology, he owns the phrase: “Everything is poison, and nothing is without poison; one dose makes the poison invisible "(in popular terms: “Everything is poison, everything is medicine; both are determined by the dose.").
• According to Paracelsus, man is a microcosm in which all elements of the macrocosm are reflected; the connecting link between the two worlds is the force "M" (the name of Mercury begins with this letter). According to Paracelsus, a person (who is also the quintessence, or the fifth, true essence of the world) is produced by God from the “extraction” of the whole world and carries the image of the Creator. There is no knowledge forbidden for a person, he is capable and, according to Paracelsus, even obliged to explore all entities that exist not only in nature, but also beyond it.

human essence Paracelsus has 7 elements:

• "elementary body" (material or physical body; "Chat" for the Egyptians and "Guf" for the Jews),
• "archaeus" (an electro-magnetic body that gives phosphorous light; a principle without which the physical body can neither exist nor move; "Ankh" of the Egyptians and "Coach-ha-guf" of the Jews);
• "evestrum" (stellar, astral body; "Ka" of the Egyptians and "Nephesh" of the Jews), whose homeland is astral world; it is an exact copy of the material body, can leave the physical body, accompanies the spirit of a person after his death;
• "spiritus animalis" (animal soul, "Hati" or "Ab" of the Egyptians, "Ruach" of the Jews), where base, animal, egoistic instincts and passions are concentrated;
• "anima intelligens" (reasonable soul, "Bai, Ba" of the Egyptians and "Neshamah" of the Jews) - the form in which the human soul is clothed in the higher spheres at the moment of reunion with the angelic world;
• "anima spiritualis" (spiritual soul, spiritual body; "Cheybi" of the Egyptians and "Chaijah" of the Jews) - of divine origin, the seat of all the noblest and sublime aspirations of man,
• “man of the New Olympus” is a spark of the Divine, a part of the divine “I” that resides in a person.

• Paracelsus applied the ideas of Agrippa about sympathy and antipathy to medicine and, on the basis of them, built the doctrine of special means for each part of the body (arcanum) and the possibility of transferring a disease from a person to a plant or animal, or burying it together with human secretions in the ground.
• Paracelsus left a number of alchemical writings, including: "The Chemical Psalter, or Philosophical Rules on the Stone of the Wise" , "Nitrogen, or About wood and the thread of life" etc. In one of these writings he used the term gnome.
• It was he who gave the name to the metal zinc, using the spelling "zincum" or "zinken" in the book Liber Mineralium II. This word probably goes back to him. Zinke, meaning "tooth" (zinc metal crystallites look like needles).

Proceedings

Published during lifetime

• Die grosse Wundarzney. Ulm, Hans Varnier, 1536; Augsburg, Haynrich Stayner (Steyner), 1536; Frankfurt am Main, Georg Raben and Weygand Hanen, 1536.
• Vom Holz Guaico, 1529.
• Von der Frantzosischen kranckheit Drey Bücher, 1530.
• Vonn dem Bad Pfeffers in Oberschwytz gelegen, 1535.
• Prognostications, 1536.

Posthumous publications

• Wundt unnd Leibartznei. Frankfurt am Main, Christian Egenolff, 1549; Christian Egenolff, 1555; Christian Egenolff (junior), 1561.
• Von der Wundartzney: Ph. Theophrasti von Hohenheim, beyder Artzney Doctoris, 4 Bücher. Pietro Perna, 1577.
• Von den Krankheiten so die Vernunfft Berauben. Basel, 1567.
• Archidoxa. Krakow, 1569.
• Kleine Wundartzney. Basel, Peter Perna, 1579.
• Opus Chirurgicum, Bodenstein. Basel, 1581.
• Medical and philosophical treatises - four volumes, Basel, Huser, 1589.
• Surgical works. Basel, Huser, 1591 and Zetzner, 1605.
• Medical and philosophical treatises - Strasbourg edition, 1603.
• Kleine Wund Artzney. Strasbourg, Ledertz, 1608.
• Opera omnia medico-chemico-chirurgica, 3 volumes. Geneva, 1658.
• Liber de Nymphis, sylphis, pygmaeis et salamandris et de caeteris spiritibus, 1566
• Philosophia magna, tractus aliquot, Cologne, 1567.
• Philosophiae et Medicinae utriusque compendium, Basel, 1568.

Disciples and followers

• Tourneisser, Leonard (1531-1596) Swiss physician.
• Weigel, Valentin Weigel; 1533-1588) - German Protestant theologian and philosopher, who had many followers (Weigelians).
• Severinus, Peter Peder Sorensen; Peder Soerensen; 1540-1602) - Danish physician, author of the books: "Idea medicinae philosophicae" (1571), "Epistola scripta Th. Paracelso" (1572).
• Libavy, Andreas ( libavius; 1555-1616) - German physician.
• Khunrath, Heinrich (1560-1605) - German philosopher and alchemist, author of The Amphitheater of Eternal Wisdom (1595).
• Théodore Turquet de Mayerne (1573-1655) was a Swiss physician.
• Fludd, Robert Fludd; 1574-1637) is an English physician.
• Di Capua, Leonardo (1617-1695), Italian physician.

The teaching of Paracelsus and his followers is called iatrochemistry, which was also independently developed by:

• Van Helmont (1580-1644) - Dutch physician;
• Tahenius, Otto ( Tachenius; English Otto Tachenius; 1610-1680) - German pharmacist;
• Sylvius, Francis (1614-1672) - Dutch physician.

Also, Gustav of Sweden (1568-1607), the son of the Swedish king Eric XIV and a former maid, had the nickname "second Paracelsus" for his extensive knowledge.

Memory

Since 1941, the Swiss Society of Chemistry has awarded the Paracelsus Prize for Lifetime Achievement to 7 Nobel Prize winners.

In 1970, the International Astronomical Union named a crater on reverse side Moon.

In fiction and film

• Paracelsus is mentioned in the Harry Potter series of novels written by the English writer J.K. Rowling.
• In the work of Jorge Luis Borges "Rose of Paracelsus", a young man comes to the master, who dreams of a student, and asks to take him as a student. The only condition the stranger sets is a demonstration of a miracle - the burning of a rose and its resurrection. After a dialogue saturated with philosophical reminiscences, the young man himself burns the rose and demands from Paracelsus to confirm his glory and revive it. Paracelsus says that those who claim that he is a charlatan are right, send the young man away - and revive the rose with one word.
• In "Frankenstein" main character was strongly influenced by the works and ideas of Paracelsus, which determined his aspirations.
• Paracelsus is one of the main characters in the Weiner brothers' novel A Cure for Nesmeyana.
• The Austrian film director Georg Pabst made the film Paracelsus in 1943.
• Paracelsus is one of the main characters in the film "Entrance to the Labyrinth".
• Paracelsus is the prototype of the father of the main character Van Hohenheim in the Fullmetal Alchemist manga and anime.
• A character named Paracelsus is an anti-hero in the final seasons of Warehouse 13.
• Often mentioned in the stories of H. F. Lovecraft as an author of the occult works and an alchemist, whose works, along with the works of other medieval occult scientists, are used by heroes for mystical purposes, for example, when resurrecting the dead.
• Paracelsus is one of the characters in the Japanese visual novel Animamundi: Dark Alchemist. He is the protagonist in the form of a boy, an old man and young man, crowns him with a crown for achievements in alchemy, and later, at the request of the Archangel Michael, leads him through Purgatory, helping to atone for his sins and return to the mortal world, freed from the influence of Lucifer.
• Paracelsus is one of the characters in the popular D "n" D game Makin's edition. Plays the role of a demon-alchemist. Sells prisms.

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P Paracelsus as an alchemist, philosopher and physician is one of the most mysterious personalities ancient world. Paracelsus can be considered one of the founders of modern science and medicine. This is a person who introduces chemical compounds into medicine for the first time and successfully uses them.

Who is Paracelsus?

He invented the pseudonym Paracelsus on his own. Translated from Latin, the pseudonym means "surpassed Celsus." For reference: “Celsus is an ancient Roman encyclopedist and connoisseur of medicine who lived in the 1st century BC. e.". The real name of Paracelsus is Philip Aureol Theophrastus Bombast von Hohenheim. He was born on October 24, 1493 in the city of Aigues in a family of people closely associated with medicine. That is why he devoted his whole life to the study of medicine. At the age of 16, he left home forever and devoted himself entirely to teaching. He studied in Germany, Switzerland and Italy, where he drew bit by bit his knowledge in various fields. His most eminent teacher was Johann Trithemius, who was considered the greatest expert in the field of astrology, alchemy and magic. As a result, he receives the title of doctor of medical sciences. After receiving the title of doctor, he goes on a journey around the world, where he receives medical practice. He served as both a city doctor and a military man on the battlefields.

The Philosophy of Paracelsus

The views of Paracelsus are very diverse. Some considered Paracelsus a great physician and scientist, while others considered him just a charlotte. Having gained vast experience in medical practice, in 1527 the city council of Basel appointed him professor of physics, medicine and surgery. He lectured in medicine at the University of Basel. His difference from other teachers was that he lectured to students from his personal observations and experience, and not repeating the words of Avicenna, Hippocrates and Galen. This kind of teaching was viewed with disdain by his colleagues because it was not documented. Paracelsus himself was critical of the ideas of ancient medicine, considering it to be very imperfect.

He criticized doctors who did not have knowledge of chemistry, because without knowledge of chemistry it is impossible to treat people. He argued that a person consists of a set of chemical elements that are in constant balance in the human body. When deviating from balance, that is, if there are not enough of any elements or, on the contrary, there are more of them, diseases arise. Adhering to this knowledge, he successfully treated at that time incurable diseases. Another of his teachings was that even ordinary things can be deadly, and poisons in certain dosages can be curative. Such teachings of Paracelsus do not seem to be as crazy today as his colleagues at the time thought. And today it can be considered the true parent of modern pharmaceuticals.

As mentioned above, Paracelsus was very successful in various sciences, but medicine is considered his vocation. He said that the real purpose of alchemy was not the extraction of gold, but medicines. In terms of chemistry, he is the person who gave the name to the element zinc, using the spelling zincum. As for medicine, he successfully practiced his acquired skills in the treatment of diseases. Through his experiences, he wrote several books. One of which is a collection of notes on the origin and course of diseases, which he called "Paramirum". One of his main achievements is the explanation of the nature and causes of such a disease as Silicosis. According to his works, such a disease as lung cancer was identified. The most interesting thing is that Paracelsus knew how to treat a lot of diseases, even those that are still considered incurable.

The mystical side of the personality of Paracelsus

The mystical side of the personality of Paracelsus affects various aspects of activity. As mentioned above, he achieved great success in medicine, as he treated a huge number of diseases. Mystics believed that Paracelsus owned the so-called "Panacea". For reference:

Panacea is the cure for all diseases.

Mystics suggest that with the help of Panacea, he could even resurrect the dead. Paracelsus traveled most of his life and drew knowledge from different types of people. They included magicians, sorcerers, witches, necromancers, great scientists and ordinary people. In addition to this circle, he also communicated with ordinary people, which included: shepherds, merchants and just vagrants. For such a search for information, he became the subject of ridicule of his colleagues. Van Helmont claims that in 1521, Paracelsus received the "Philosopher's Stone" from an adept named Solomon Trismosinus. It is assumed that it was this person who gave him the Panacea. The death of Paracelsus on September 24, 1541 is also very mysterious. He allegedly died in a room at the White Horse Hotel after a short illness. That is, he treated diseases all his life, even incurable ones, and then he himself died in a few days in a hotel. Very mysterious... isn't it? Moreover, he is credited with the beginning of the creation of secret societies!

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Paracelsus (1493-1541) - Swiss physician, philosopher and alchemist, naturalist. He owns the great reforms in medical science and practice. The founder of iatrochemistry (a direction whose goal was to put chemistry at the service of medicine, namely, to prepare medicines). Criticized ancient medicine. He became one of the founders of modern medical science, tried his best to enrich it with chemicals.

Parents

Paracelsus was born on October 24, 1493 in the town of Eg in the German-speaking canton of Schwyz in central Switzerland. Then it was a small village a couple of hours on foot from Zurich. His name, inherited from his parents, completely sounds like this - Philip Aureol Theophrastus Bombast von Hohenheim (Paracelsus is a pseudonym).

His father, Wilhelm von Hohenheim, is an indirect (illegitimate) descendant of the old and glorious noble family of Bombasts. Once this noble family was considered noble, there were knights of the Order of St. John in it, their residence is a castle near Stuttgart. But over time, the family became poorer. Paracelsus' father was proud of his distant relationship with Bombastov, but apart from pride, this brought him absolutely nothing - neither fame nor money.

Little is known about Paracelsus' mother. She looked extremely frail, her big head with crooked thin legs looked ridiculous and ugly. Before she married, she worked in the almshouse of the Benedictine abbey as a matron. After the marriage, I had to leave this position, since a married woman could not occupy it. Mom got a job as a nurse in the hospital of the local abbey.

Paracelsus' father was engaged in medical practice, but did not achieve anything special in this field. Then he decided to bring at least his only son to the people so that he would avoid beggarly need in the future. The father predetermined and prepared for the child the path to the priesthood, then this was the only way to get rid of poverty and achieve prosperity.

Studies

Parental upbringing of Paracelsus was simple, one might even say peasant, no one instilled refinement and refined manners in him. He did not drink honey as a child, did not eat soft wheat bread and dates. The main food in their family was milk, cheese and wholemeal bread.

The boy grew up diligent and diligent, he liked to read books and gain knowledge. Despite poverty, the family had an excellent library. Sometimes, Paracelsus was so fond of books that he sat over them until early morning. The father did not scold him for this, despite the fact that the child burned candles that were not cheap at that time. Wilhelm tried to pass on to his son all the knowledge of philosophy, alchemy, therapy and surgery that he himself possessed. Paracelsus revered his father, always saying that he was his best mentor and friend.

When the boy grew up a little, his parents placed him in the monastery of St. Andrew as a student. Stubborn to study and diligent, the child soon showed himself as the best student.

At the age of sixteen, the young man left his father's house and went to study at the University of Basel. This educational institution is now one of the oldest in Switzerland. After graduating, he went to Würzburg to the monastery of St. James for further education. Paracelsus was taught by the abbot of the monastery, Johann Trithemius of Ipanheim, who was then famous for his knowledge in the field of alchemy, medicine, astrology and even magic.

But, plunging into the world of knowledge, the young man began to understand that the truth is not always written in books, the authors are also mistaken and make mistakes, like ordinary people. Paracelsus was more interested in practice than in theory. He went to local pharmacies, to a glass-blowing workshop, to mining, where lead, precious metals, iron ore, sulfates, and zinc were mined. The guy realized that in practice he would receive much more necessary knowledge and experience than sitting in a monastery reading books.

In the end, he left the monastery walls and went to the Italian University of Ferrara. Having received another educational course in it, Paracelsus left the educational institution with a diploma of a doctor of medicine.

Wandering period

In 1517, a graduate physician pretended to be a poor monk and began to travel. For almost ten years he wandered around the universities of Europe, as a physician he took part in military campaigns, visited many countries. On foot he passed through France, England, Germany, Scotland, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden. Then he changed course and went to Poland, Hungary, Lithuania, Croatia. He even visited the Scandinavian countries, Russia, Constantinople, Africa and Palestine.

Meeting on his way with different people, he talked with them, listened to their stories, gaining new knowledge for himself. He did not shy away from any communication, any new information I drank it with particular greed. He talked equally, equally with scientists, alchemists, soothsayers and doctors, as well as with ordinary shepherds, Jews, gypsies, executioners, elderly healers and barbers. If he considered it useful, he was not ashamed to learn even from vagabonds, sorcerers, witches and midwives. They told him their secrets of healing decoctions that can stop the blood, remove damage, and cure various sores.

Especially a lot of experience and knowledge gave him army practice - he entered the army of the Danish king Christian as a doctor, was a paramedic in the Dutch army. The soldiers nicknamed him "desperate" because he never sat in the infirmary, but was always next to the wounded on the battlefield.

In Lyon, he got a job in a funeral home to embalm bodies, where corpses were available to him, which brought the scientist many new discoveries in the human structure.

Other physicians did not use such information. Therefore, Paracelsus managed to collect unique recipes of medicine from all over the world, which made him a famous doctor of that time. For example, on the basis of numerous conversations with midwives, he wrote "The Book of Women's Diseases." In those days, this area of ​​medicine was accessible only to a narrow circle of people, since women did not dare to go with their problems and illnesses to male doctors.

Shot from the film "Paracelsus"

True, there was a downside to this method of collecting knowledge. Paracelsus was often accused of having connections with members of the lower strata of society, of vagrancy, drunkenness, and incompetence as a medical scientist.

Medical practice

He was already thirty-two years old when, having wandered around the world to his heart's content, Paracelsus returned to Germany and began to heal. At first, people were skeptical about his knowledge and experience gained in his travels. But very soon, after he cured several patients, gossip was replaced by fame.

In 1527 he settled in Basel, where he was appointed to the post of city doctor. He also took up teaching activities as a professor of medicine, physics, and surgery. At the university, he lectured, which brought a very good income, however, as well as healing.

Paracelsus innovated and began to teach medical lectures in German, while throughout Europe this was done in Latin. Many felt that the scientist by such an act challenged the education system. But the great doctor was forgiven for such self-will.

During lectures on medicine, he did not repeat the works of Avicenna or Hippocrates, but shared with students the knowledge collected personally. The students respected Paracelsus very much, while colleagues, on the contrary, were horrified by his innovative ideas. In 1528, constant disagreements with other teachers provoked a conflict with the city authorities. He was excommunicated from teaching, and the scientist again went to wander.

Now he decided to travel only in Europe. When he got to Nuremberg, he learned that fellow doctors accused him of fraud. Paracelsus did not intend to endure insults. He turned to the city authorities with a request to entrust to him those patients who were already considered hopeless by his insulting colleagues. The city council decided to allocate him for the treatment of several people with elephantiasis. In a short time, the physician cured the patients, which is documented in the city archives.

Paracelsus was left alone, and he went on his journey. In his wanderings he continued to study medicine, astrology and alchemy, treated people, never allowed himself to abandon medical practice.

In the late 1530s, Paracelsus finally settled in Salzburg. He was invited here by Duke Ernst, who was fond of secret knowledge. In the face of the Duke, the physician found a patron and intercessor. He settled on the outskirts of the city in a small house, which he divided into two parts. He equipped one of them as a laboratory, where he conducted his experiments and research, and from the second part he made an office for receiving patients. Finally, he found a haven and could safely do what he loved.

Death

On September 24, 1541, the scientist was found dead in a hotel room. The real cause of death remains unknown, but there is speculation that Paracelsus was killed out of envy. Among his fellow doctors, he had quite a few enemies, they envied the success and rich knowledge of the scientist. The friends of Paracelsus believed that an assassin was hired by envious people who hit the great physician on the head with a heavy stone. He died from his injuries a few days later. Later, German scientists examined the skull of Paracelsus. A crack was found on it, which confirmed the version of the murder.

Monument to Paracelsus

Paracelsus was buried in Salzburg in the cemetery at the church of St. Sebastian.

Proceedings and writings

During his wanderings, Paracelsus carefully recorded, analyzed, and drew conclusions about all his observations. He had amazing performance. His friends testified that at the desk he could spend several days in a row without sleep. Paracelsus owns nine books:

• "Paragranum" about the secrets of Kabbalah. He began to study Kabbalistics with the abbot Johann Trithemius.
• "Paramirum" about the history and characteristics of human diseases. Here he outlined all his knowledge about the nature of the human body and about the methods of treating various diseases.
• "Labyrinth of misguided physicians".
• "Chronicle of Cartinia".
• "Philosophy".
• "Hidden Philosophy".
• "Great Astronomy";
• "Schneeberg pulmonary disease";
• "A book about nymphs, sylphs, pygmies, salamanders, giants and other spirits."

The basis of the teachings of Paracelsus was that all living beings have a certain proportion of chemicals in their composition. As soon as this proportion is violated, disease appears. It is possible to restore the balance in the human body and cure the disease due to external chemicals. Thus, he was the first physician to combine alchemy and medicine, and to invent and test prescriptions for medicines. He was also the first to use antimony, gold and mercury in the treatment of patients.

Paracelsus was a harsh critic of ancient medicine, he believed that it did not bring practical benefits. He was engaged in the introduction of new methods of treatment, for which his colleagues did not like him. But now he is considered one of the founders of medicine as a science. Pharmacology also owes its appearance to him. Paracelsus famous phrases:

• “Everything is poison, and everything is medicine. Both that, and another depends only on a dose»;
• "The main purpose of alchemy should not be to make gold, but to prepare medicines."

One of his great achievements was the discovery of the disease silicosis (this is an occupational disease of miners), explained its causes and nature.