PARACEL'SUS. The assumed name of Phi lippus Aureolus Paracelsus Theophrastus 1;0111 instils von Polienheim (141)0 or 93-1541). A German physician and chemist. Ile was born at Einsiedeln, Switzerland, the son of a physician and chemist, Wilhelm Bombast von ilolleitheim; he received his early education from his father, and at sixteen he went to Basel University. but soon abandoned it for the study of chemistry and alchemy under Withemina, Bishop of Wiirz burg. lie traveled widely, sustaining himself by irregular practice, and collecting it vast amount of miscellaneous medical kiiowlellge. Ile served some time as a military surgeon in the Low Coun tries, Denmark. mid Italy. and learned practical metallurgy at the mines in Tyrol belonging to the nigger family, who were celebrated for their patronage of art and science. Here he appears to have studied diligently, investigating the processes of preparing metals. and making experi ments as to their medicinal virtues. His cures, real or pretended, became voiced abroad, and he was called to prescribe for many of the great men of his day. was one of hi- pa tients. At the recommendation of tEcolampadius he was, in 1526, appointed professor of physic and surgery at Basel, when he inaugurated his career as a teacher by publicly burning the works of Galen. and denouncing the Arabian masters, teachings were then generally followed. He also flouted tradition by lecturing in German instead of Latin. his letianee of tradition. in addition to his arrogance, vanity. and drunken ness, provoked the most bitter animosity the regular faculty, and he was compelled to leave the university. He resumed his W:1 Mlerings. herever he Went he excited the regular facility to a state of violent hatred, not wholly un deserved. At Salzburg he gave offense a1111 Nt ing form of the other hyperbolas. The hyper
bolic paraboloid is a special ease of the hyper boblid of one sheet, and hence is a ruled surface.
revolution formed by revolv ing a parabola about its principal axis. Its thrown from a window by the servants of a and had his neck broken by the fall. Ile was then about forty years old.
In spite of his turbulent life and charlatan methods, Paraceisus exerted a profound influence upon the medical beliefs of his time and of sue eeeding centuries. lie struck at the weak points of the prevailing system of medicine; he de stroyed the 'Immoral pathology' (which was founded on the belief that diseases depended upon an excess or deficiency of bile, phlegm, or blood), and taught that diseases were actual en tities. and were to he combated with specific remedies. Ile improved pharmacy and thera peutics, made some new chemical compounds. and strove to reduce the overdosing then prac ticed. A large number of medical works are attributed to him, many of which were written by his followers, and some, it is declared, by his enemies, in order to injure his reputation. Marx admits only ten as genuine, and Hilser twenty four. The earliest printed work was Practica Theodhrasji Parardsus (Augsburg. 1529). Collected editions of his writings appeared in German at Basel in 1589-91. in 1603-05, and in 1618. Latin editions in 1603-05 and 1658 (Ge neva). For his life consult : 31. B. Lessing (Berlin, 1839) : Mock (Wilrzburg, 1876) ; Hart mann (London, 1886) : Kahlbaum (Basel, 1894) : and Netzhammer (Einsiedeln, 1901). Consult also Hartmann, Grundriss der Lckren des Theo phrust Put'arelsus von. Ilohenheini (Leipzig. 189S). and The llcamctic. and Alchemical Writ ings of Pantry isus (London, 1894).