Ferguson 1906 Bibliotheca
Paracelsus was born at Einsiedeln in Canton Schwyz, on 10 Nov., 1493. His father, who was a licentiate of medicine, gave his son a careful general training, besides instruction in medicine and surgery. In 1506 he went to Basel University, where he displayed a liking for chemistry, and he afterwards lived for some time with Trithemius, and from him went to the mines which belonged to
Sigismund Fugger, where he acquired knowledge not only of metals, their ores and working, but of the diseases of the work-people as well. To increase his knowledge and to make the acquaintance of skilled and learned men he began a long course of travel throughout Europe, studied at various universities, and it is said, acted as a field surgeon. After an absence of many years he returned to Germany with a great reputation, and in 1527 was appointed physician to the town of Basel. At first he met with much acceptance, and his practice increased, as he was successful in his cures when other physicians failed. It was not long, however before he met with opposition from the ordinary physicians, his doctrines were contrary to theirs he was an unbeliever in Galen and Avicenna he was a jealous critic of the bond which united the physicians and the druggists and he was not at all moderate in the language he employed in controversy. The strained relations which had thus grown up reached at last the breaking point over the case of the Canon Lichtenfels who, having refused Paracelsus his promised fee for curing him, was summoned by him before the judges. They, however, decided against Paracelsus who stated without any reserve his opinion of their verdict. After this by the advice of his friends, Paracelsus got away from Basel as quickly as he could, and began the wandering life which he henceforth spent. He finally came to Saltzburg by the invitation of the Archbishop, and it looked as if he might settle there in a good position. This expectation however was not fulfilled, as he died shortly afterwards on 24 Sept., 1541.
Paracelsus works are numerous, and were often printed.
They were collected first by Huser 1589-91, in ten volumes, 4°, and other collected editions appeared in Latin and in German, in folio and quarto details of which are given in the bibliographies.
A special set of his writings have been collected and turned into English by A. E. Waite: ‘The Hermetic and Alchemical Writings of Aureolus Philippus Theophrastus Bombast London, 1894, 2 vols., 4°.
For the separate English translations of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, see my Bibliographia Paracelsica, Part iii., 1890, pp. 31-49.
Quite recently a new edition of his works has been projected of which one part has appeared:
Theophrastus Paracelsus Das Buch Paragranum, herausgegeben und eingeleitet von Dr. Phil. Franz Strunz. Verlegt bei Eugen Diederichs, Leipzig, 1903, square 8°, pp. [4]112, with a portrait.
For an account of all known editions of Paracelsus' works with the fullest bibliographical details reference must be made to the great monograph of Dr. Sudhoff, which not only supersedes all other bibliographies of Paracelsus, but is the most complete and thorough of any author whatever.
The expounders and critics of Paracelsus require to be considered cautiously. Some and especially the other writers, are prejudiced, insympathetic and unperceptive others are over enthusiastic and read more into Paracelsus' words and views than they contain. But whatever may be thought of himself or of his doctrines Paracelsus will endure as one of the greatest forces of the sixteenth century. He revolutionized medicine.
Articles on Paracelsus are to be found in every biographical dictionary, in every history of medicine and of its fundamental sciences the consolidation of which was one of his great aims, and he is the theme of numerous not to say innumerable monographs. As he confined his researches to no one topic, but discoursed on theology philosophy, science as well as on medicine and surgery, and as he provoked opposition in all, Paracelsus-literature is voluminous, and references to him and his views pervaded chemical and medical literature for long after his decease. Only a few indications however, can be given.
Leo Suavius, Theophrasti Paracelsi Philosophiae et Medicina, utriusque universae Compendium, Paris [1567] pp. 7 (life and works) 84-87 (lists of his works); also in the edition of Basel 1568.
Petrus Severinus, Epistola, Bas., 1572, 8°.
Thomas Erastus, Disputationum de Medicina Nova Philippi Paracelsi Pars prima [—Quarta et Ultima], Basileæ, 1572-73, 4°.
Reusner, Icones, 1587, sign. Fvj verso-Gi verso, with portrait.
Paschalis Gallus, Bibliotheca Medica, Basil., 1590, pp. 342-347.
Spachius, Nomenclator Scriptorum Medicorum, Francof., 1591, p. 34.
Boissard, Icones Virorum illustrium, 1598, ii. p. 290.
Andreas Brentzius, Farrago Philosophorum, 1606, pp. 73-107 (‘Processus Paracelsi’).
Michael Döring, De Medicina et Medicis adversus Iatromastigas et Pseudiatros Libri II., Giessæ Hessorum, 1611, pp. 140-263 (a review of Paracelsus’ system).
Maier, Symbola Aureae Mensae, 1617, pp. 277-289.
J. V. Andreæ, Mythologia Christiana, 1619, p. 316.
Adami, Vitae Germanorum Medicorum, 1620, p. 28.
Naudé, Apologie pour tous les grands personnages ... soupçonnez de Magie, 1625, p. 391; English translation, 1657, p. 184.
Van der Linden, De Scriptis Medicis libri duo, 1637, pp. 57-63.
Conring, De Hermetica Aegyptiorum vetere et Paracelsicorum nova Medicina Liber Unus, Helmestadii, 1648, 4°.
Borel, Bibliotheca Chimica, 1654, pp. 176-181, 218, 269.
Quenstedt, Dialogus de patriis illustrium doctrinam et scriptis virorum, 1654, p. 132.
Erasmus Franciscus, Die lustige Schau-Bühne von allerhand Curiositäten, Nürnberg 1663, pp. 645-654. (His epitaph: opinions about him &c.).
Crasso, Elogii d’Huomini letterati, Venetia, 1666, ii. pp. 45-49 (with Tintoretto‘s portrait of Paracelsus).
Conring, De Hermetica Medicina Libri Duo, Editio secunda, Helmestadii, 1669, 4°.
Morhof, De Metallorum Transmutatione ad, ... Joelem Langelottum ... Epistola, 1673, p. 138.
Thomasius, Dissertatio ... de Plagio literario, Lips. [1673], sig. Dd 4 r, § 514.
Borrichius, Hermetis, Aegyptiorum, et Chemicorum sapientia ab Hermanni Conringii animadversionibus vindicata, Hafniæ, 1674, 4°.
Adamus à Lebenwaldt, Vierdtes Tractätel von defs Teuffels List und Betrug in der falschen Alchymisterey, 1680, pp. 80-110.
Johann Tileman, Zugab vnd Beysatz gewisser vnüberwindlicher Fundamenten, darauss dess Nebel oder Lebenwalds Tractätlein so zu Saltzburg gedruckt worden, sollen gäntzlich zu nichts, vnd offentlich zu Schanden werden, sig. A 9 verso.
Mercklin, Lindenius renovatus, 1686, pp. 101-108.
