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theoretical standpoint； it was excellent。 The doctrine of the four humors
and of the natural； animal and vital spirits afforded a ready explanation for
the symptoms of all diseases； and the practice of the day was admirably
adapted to the theories。 There was no thought of； no desire for； change。
But the revival of learning awakened in men at first a suspicion and at last
a conviction that the ancients had left something which could be reached
by independent research； and gradually the paralytic…like torpor passed
away。
＇3＇ Miall： The Early Naturalists； London； 1912。
The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries did three things in medicine…
… shattered authority； laid the foundation of an accurate knowledge of the
structure of the human body and demonstrated how its functions should be
studied intelligentlywith which advances； as illustrating this period； may
be associated the names of Paracelsus； Vesalius and Harvey。
PARACELSUS
PARACELSUS is 〃der Geist der stets verneint。〃 He roused men
against the dogmatism of the schools； and he stimulated enormously the
practical study of chemistry。 These are his great merits； against which
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must be placed a flood of hermetical and transcendental medicine； some
his own； some foisted in his name； the influence of which is still with us。
〃With what judgment ye judge it shall be judged to you again〃 is the
verdict of three centuries on Paracelsus。 In return for unmeasured abuse of
his predecessors and contemporaries he has been held up to obloquy as the
arch…charlatan of history。 We have taken a cheap estimate of him from
Fuller and Bacon； and from a host of scurrilous scribblers who debased or
perverted his writings。 Fuller＇4＇ picked him out as exemplifying the
drunken quack； whose body was a sea wherein the tide of drunkenness
was ever ebbing and flowing 〃He boasted that shortly he would order
Luther and the Pope； as well as he had done Galen and Hippocrates。 He
was never seen to pray； and seldome came to Church。 He was not onely
skilled in naturall Magick （the utmost bounds whereof border on the
suburbs of hell） but is charged to converse constantly with familiars。
Guilty he was of all vices but wantonnesse： 。 。 。 〃
＇4＇ Fuller： The Holy and Profane State； Cambridge； 1642； p。 56。
Francis Bacon； too； says many hard things of him。＇5＇
＇5＇ Bacon： Of the Proficience and Advancement of Learning； Bk。 II；
Pickering ed。； London； 1840； p。 181。 Works； Spedding ed。； III； 381。
To the mystics； on the other hand； he is Paracelsus the Great； the
divine； the most supreme of the Christian magi； whose writings are too
precious for science； the monarch of secrets； who has discovered the
Universal Medicine。 This is illustrated in Browning's well…known poem
〃Paracelsus；〃 published when he was only twenty…one； than which there is
no more pleasant picture in literature of the man and of his aspirations。 His
was a 〃searching and impetuous soul〃 that sought to win from nature some
startling secret〃。 。 。 a tincture of force to flush old age with youth； or
breed gold； or imprison moonbeams till they change to opal shafts！〃 At the
same time with that capacity for self…deception which characterizes the
true mystic he sought to cast
Light on a darkling race； save for that doubt； I stood at first where all
aspire at last To stand： the secret of the world was mine。 I knew； I felt
（perception unexpressed； Uncomprehended by our narrow thought； But
somehow felt and known in every shift And change in the spirit；nay； in
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every pore Of the body； even）what God is； what we are； What life is
。 。 。＇6＇
＇6＇ Robert Browning： Paracelsus； closing speech。
Much has been done of late to clear up his story and his character。
Professor Sudhoff； of Leipzig； has made an exhaustive bibliographical
study of his writings；＇7＇ there have been recent monographs by Julius
Hartmann； and Professors Franz and Karl Strunz；＇8＇ and a sympathetic
summary of his life and writings has been published by the late Miss
Stoddart。＇9＇ Indeed there is at present a cult of Paracelsus。 The hermetic
and alchemical writings are available in English in the edition of A。 E。
Waite； London； 1894。 The main facts of his life you can find in all the
biographies。 Suffice it here to say that he was born at Einsiedeln； near
Zurich； in 1493； the son of a physician； from whom he appears to have had
his early training both in medicine and in chemistry。 Under the famous
abbot and alchemist； Trithemiusof Wurzburg； he studied chemistry and
occultism。 After working in the mines at Schwatz he began his wanderings；
during which he professes to have visited nearly all the countries in
Europe and to have reached India and China。 Returning to Germany he
began a triumphal tour of practice through the German cities； always in
opposition to the medical faculty； and constantly in trouble。 He
undoubtedly performed many important cures； and was thought to have
found the supreme secret of alchemistry。 In the pommel of his sword he
was believed to carry a familiar spirit。 So dominant was his reputation that
in 1527 he was called to the chair of physic in the University of Basel。
Embroiled in quarrels after his first year he was forced to leave secretly；
and again began his wanderings through German cities； working；
quarrelling； curing； and dying prematurely at Saltzburg in 1541 one of
the most tragic figures in the history of medicine。
＇7＇ Professor Sudhoff： Bibliographia Paracelsica； Berlin； 1894； 1899。
＇8＇ R。 Julius Hartmann： Theophrast von Hohenheim； Berlin； 1904；
ditto； Franz Strunz；Leipzig； 1903。
＇9＇ Anna M。 Stoddart： The Life of Paracelsus； London； John Murray；
1911。
Paracelsus is the Luther of medicine； the very incarnation of the spirit