Let's examine some of Paracelsus' contributions to medicine, to toxicology, and to philosophy and theology. And what nature teaches him he must commend to his wisdom, not seeking anything in his wisdom, but only in the light of nature. Paracelsus tried to bring chemistry and the scientific method into medicine; he used chemistry and chemical analogies in his teachings to medical students and to the medical establishment, who found them objectionable and some still do!
He believed that body organs functioned alchemically, that is, they separated pure from impure. He discounted the humoral theory of Galen, whose newly rediscovered works became the foundation for medicine. Galen postulated that there were four humors in the body blood, phlegm, and yellow and black bile ; when these were in balance, one enjoyed health, and when there was an imbalance, sickness ensued.
Paracelsus, the alchemist, believed in three humors: salt representing stability , sulfur representing combustibility , and mercury representing liquidity ; he defined disease as a separation of one humor from the other two.
Galenists believed that a disease of certain intensity would be cured by a medicine of opposite intensity principle of contrariety. Paracelsus introduced actually reintroduced into medicine the use of inorganic salts, metals and minerals although some had been used by the ancients. Plants were out and chemicals were in.
Paracelsus also believed that diseases tend to localize in a particular organ target organ , a concept developed further as target organ of toxicity. He aroused the ire of the medical establishment by denouncing Galen and his works, by bringing chemistry into medicine, by introducing new chemical agents inorganic salts, metals, minerals into medicine, by stressing the dosage of the medicines used, and by trying to reform medical education.
Because his approach to the body was chemical, he could be considered a chemical anatomist. He also encouraged physicians to use common sense, to sharpen their powers of observation, to gain experience, to travel, and to practice humility and he wondered why they did not accept his advice!
He believed that medicine should be based on the four pillars of philosophy, astronomy, chemistry, and virtue. He believed that medicine was a divine mission and that physicians should not lose sight of this, and that character was more important than mechanical skill applicable even today!
All of this was deemed heresy and not acceptable to the medical community of his time. Paracelsus was addressing the issue of educational reform for physicians, the relation of religion to science and medicine, and the value of ancient wisdom ancient authority in relation to evidence obtained from observation and subsequently to experimentation.
It seemed that Paracelsus was single-handedly taking on the entire medical profession. However, time would prove him correct. Unfortunately, recognition would only come after his death, but his influence on medicine was very significant. Thus I must seem rough, though to myself I appear gracious. How can I not be strange for one who has never gone wandering in the sun? Paracelsus extended his interest in chemistry and biology to what we now consider toxicology.
This was undoubtedly due to his father's interests and influence and to his involvement in occupational medicine. His belief that diseases locate in a specific organ was extended to include target organ toxicity; that is, that a chemical has a specific site within the body where it exerts its greatest effect. Paracelsus also encouraged the use of experimental animals to study the effects of chemicals for both beneficial effects and to identify toxic effects. As in medicine, the influence of Paracelsus on toxicology was enormous.
Paracelsus was a deeply religious and philosophical person who was concerned with many of the basic issues that still confront us today: who are we, what is our relationship with nature and with God, is there an after-life, what about the soul.
This was part of his approach to psychiatry. He believed that there were two forces acting in all humans and these forces, animal and godly, were antagonistic. To be successful whatever that means involves suppressing the animal forces within us.
Interestingly, he denounced the view that psychoses were demonic in origin. You could not be signed in, please check and try again. Sign in with your library card Please enter your library card number. Subjects: Literature. Reference entries Paracelsus — in World Encyclopedia Length: 56 words. Paracelsus c. All rights reserved. Sign in to annotate. Download PDF. Authors J. Rights and permissions Reprints and Permissions. Copy to clipboard.
Search Search articles by subject, keyword or author. Show results from All journals This journal. He learned medicine from his father. He learned metallurgy as a lad working in the mines. He became a wandering scholar. Paracelsus took up the alchemy behind medicine and metallurgy. He rejected Aristotle's science. Knowledge, he claimed, is born in the mind, not in nature.
He adopted the language of arcana and magic. He was difficult at best -- going from town to town, offending people 'til they threw him out.
Once he wrote:. He nearly settled in Basel when he was The great early printer Frobenius was ill. No other physician could help him, so he turned to Paracelsus. Frobenius must have been desperate.
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