Paracelsus
a German theosophist , deln, near Zurich, Switzerland, in 1493.
Bombastus His real name was Philip Theophrastus von Ho Hohenheim, but he assumed the high-sounding name of PARACELSUS Aureolus Theophrastus Paracelsus. He learned the rudiments of alchemy, astrology, and medicine from his father, visiting almost all parts of Europe. He and then became a wandering scholar, made some fortunate cures, and announced that he had nounced that he had discovered an elixir whereby he made which would prolong life indefinitely; ade himself, for a time, an immense reputation of physic and surgery in the University of Basle. ness and debauchery, soon destroyed his But his arrogance, language, drunkenlanguage, drunkenfame and influence fame and influence, and he lost his pro- , and left Basle in 1527. The rest of his life was spent in roving, pracindulging in low habits, PARACHUTE and writing his books, which were published in 10 volumes. Notwithstanding all his faults, errors, and absurdities, Paracelsus gave a new direction to medical science, by his doctrine that the true use of chemistry is not to make gold, day the study but to prepare medicines; and from his of chemistry became a necessary part of medical education.
He died in Salzburg in 1541.