Iatrochemistry

Around the eleventh century CE, Sanskrit medical texts began to record profound changes in the methods used for drug manufacture. New substances, especially metallic and non-metallic minerals, were added to the ayurvedic pharmacopoeia or were given new prominence. More significantly, however, new ways of processing raw materials were introduced that were thought to make them fit for medical use. Most of the new, but also many of the traditional substances were now put through a series of complicated, multistage processes before they were used as components of compound medicines. In this article, I will use the example of recipes for iron-based medicines, which describe the processing of iron and other substances to trace the evolution of these changes and to query whether the changes in drug production flow from earlier developments, or whether they represent a more fundamental shift in the theory and practice of medicine. I also consider whether the introduction of new substances and the new methods of drug production can be related to notions concerning the potency of substances and formulations.
Acknowledgements

This article was made possible through funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No.639363

England. In the sixteenth century, chymistry gained widespread currency under Queen Elizabeth I. This thesis argues that the queen's significant chymical interests contributed to her iconography, thereby bridging England's previously discrete chymical and female realms. It shows that Elizabeth's influence and fundamental societal changes enabled women, beginning with the gentry, to acquire and apply chymical knowledge. Four case studies highlight the queen's impact on her female subjects through an examination of primary manuscript and printed sources. The Protestant gentlewomen Grace Mildmay,

England. In the sixteenth century, chymistry gained widespread currency under Queen Elizabeth I. This thesis argues that the queen's significant chymical interests contributed to her iconography, thereby bridging England's previously discrete chymical and female realms. It shows that Elizabeth's influence and fundamental societal changes enabled women, beginning with the gentry, to acquire and apply chymical knowledge. Four case studies highlight the queen's impact on her female subjects through an examination of primary manuscript and printed sources. The Protestant gentlewomen Grace Mildmay,

The project examined the histories of yoga, ayurveda and rasaśāstra (Indian alchemy and iatrochemistry) from the tenth century to the present, focussing on the disciplines' health, rejuvenation and longevity practices. The goals of the project were to reveal the entanglements of these historical traditions.

Our hypothesis was that practices aimed at achieving longevity, physical rejuvenation and transmutation constitute a key area of exchange between the three disciplines, preparing the grounds for a series of important pharmaceutical and technological innovations and also profoundly influencing the discourses of today's medicalized forms of globalized yoga as well as of contemporary institutionalized forms of ayurveda and rasaśāstra.

Drawing upon the primary historical sources of each respective tradition as well as on fieldwork data, the research team explored the shared terminology, praxis and theory of these three disciplines. We examined why, when and how health, rejuvenation and longevity practices were employed; how each discipline’s discourse and practical applications related to those of the others; and how past encounters and cross-fertilizations impact on contemporary health-related practices in yogic, ayurvedic and alchemists’ milieus.

The five-year project was based at the Department of South Asian, Tibetan and Buddhist Studies at Vienna University, the University of Alberta, and at Inform, UK.

Both Andreas Libavius and Heinrich Khunrath graduated from Basel Medical Academy in 1588, though the theses they defended reveal antithetical approaches to medicine, despite their shared interests in iatrochemistry and transmutational alchemy. Libavius argued in favour of Galenic allopathy while Khunrath promoted the contrasting homeopathic approach of Paracelsus and the utility of the occult doctrine of Signatures for medical purposes. This article considers these differences in the two graduates' theses, both as intimations of their subsequent divergent notions of the boundaries of alchemy and its relations with medicine and magic, and also as evidence of the surprisingly unstable academic status of Paracelsian philosophy in Basel, its main publishing centre, at the end of the sixteenth century.

The controversy between Friedrich Hoffmann and Georg Ernst Stahl is recorded in many texts on the history of medicine, which, however, have neither cited any documents nor ever illustrated its dynamics. Using both published and unpublished sources, this book is an attempt to shed light on some aspects of the dispute, which, though its seeds were sown in discord during the Jena years, erupted in Halle over the difference between a rapid pulse-rate and a frequent one. Its acrimonious tones eventually required the intervention of the Berlin Court.

“Rasāyana and Rasaśāstra in the Persian Medical Culture of South Asia”, History of Science in South Asia, 7, 2019, pp. 1-41. Available at: https://doi.org/10.18732/hssa.v7i0.40.

In this article, I suggest that looking at the entangled issues of the creation of a new field of knowledge and the interaction with Others’ learning allows for a more accurate understanding of how Persian medical studies have developed and adapted to different natural and cultural settings during late medieval and early modern periods. This article studies the translation and reception of materials drawn from alchemy (rasaśāstra) and rejuvenating therapy (rasāyana) in the Persianate medical culture of South Asia. Chapters dealing with processed mercury and metals become a standard subject of Persian medical works written by Muslim and Hindu physicians in South Asia. Many of these works are in fact composite writings which combine Ayurvedic and Greco-Arabic materials. However, rasāyana is a branch of knowledge for which there is not a precise equivalent domain in the target culture. How does translation deal and negotiate with this asymmetry? In this study, I assume that cross-cultural translation implies a cognitive shift in the way different groups of readers may understand and classify a certain form of knowledge. I look at the Persian translation of materials drawn from rasāyana chiefly from the reader perspective which focuses on the hermeneutical and accommodation process through which translated materials are integrated into the target culture.

Watch the documentary at https://youtu.be/sQ7OqbJXkCk

The Rasahṛdayatantra, the earliest of the Sanskrit alchemical works transmitted to us, is characterized by its concise style. With few flourishes, it succinctly describes alchemical operations in a structured way, providing a quick overview of procedures. However, the brevity of its descriptions also means that it can be difficult to fully understand the described procedures.

To gain a deeper understanding of the Rasahṛdayatantra's presentation of procedures, the AyurYog project and Andrew Mason (neterapublishing) have been working on reconstructing some of this text's alchemical operations as they are described in chapter two. These procedures, called saṃskāra, are supposed to ready mercury and also other materials for their use in mercurial elixirs. The first eight of the saṃskāra (of a total of eighteen) are aimed at ridding mercury of unwanted contaminants and flaws.

This film shows the fourth procedure, the 'raising', or sublimation (Sanskrit: utthāpana) of mercury. The purpose of this procedure is to activate mercury after it has been cleansed with aloe, triphala and leadwort in the thickening (mūrchā) procedure.
See the accompanying blog for context:
http://ayuryog.org/blog/fourth-procedure-bringing-mercury-rise-utth%C4%81pana

The text gives this very brief description of the procedure:

"The mercury, which has become completely cleansed and freed from lead and tin through trituration with this, is brought to a rise from a sour gruel decoction in a condensation apparatus."
(Rasahṛdayatantra, chapter 2, verse 7)


The following procedures were executed by a trained professional and should not be attempted without expert supervision.

A collaboration of AyurYog (ayuryog.org) and neterapublishing (neterapublishing.com).


This project was made possible through funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation program under grant agreement No.639363.

Watch the documentary at https://youtu.be/IddH7TmxdcU

The Rasahṛdayatantra, the earliest of the Sanskrit alchemical works transmitted to us, is characterized by its concise style. With few flourishes, it succinctly describes alchemical operations in a structured way, providing a quick overview of procedures. However, the brevity of its descriptions also means that it can be difficult to fully understand the described procedures.

To gain a deeper understanding of the Rasahṛdayatantra's presentation of procedures, the AyurYog project and Andrew Mason (neterapublishing) have been working on reconstructing some of this text's alchemical operations as they are described in chapter two. These procedures, called saṃskāra, are supposed to ready mercury and also other materials for their use in mercurial elixirs. The first eight of the saṃskāra (of a total of eighteen) are aimed at ridding mercury of unwanted contaminants and flaws.

This film shows the third procedure, the thickening (Sanskrit: mūrchā) of mercury. The purpose of this procedure is to remove the toxic elements of mercury.
See the accompanying blog for context:
http://ayuryog.org/blog/reconstructing-alchemical-procedures-third-procedure-thickening-m%C5%ABrch%C4%81

The text states:


"The three inherent faults of mercury are called ‘dirt’, ‘fire’, and ‘poison’.
Through dirt, it produces fainting, through fire, a burning sensation, through poison, death. Aloe removes dirt, the three myrobalans remove fire, and leadwort removes poison. Therefore, one should thicken it seven times with a mixture of these."
(Rasahṛdayatantra, chapter 2, verses 5-6)


The following procedures were executed by a trained professional and should not be attempted without expert supervision.


A collaboration of AyurYog (ayuryog.org) and neterapublishing (neterapublishing.com).
This project was made possible through funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation program under grant agreement No.639363.

Watch the documentary at https://youtu.be/BIxhcwMwCvU

The Rasahṛdayatantra, the earliest of the Sanskrit alchemical works transmitted to us, is characterized by its concise style. With few flourishes, it succinctly describes alchemical operations in a structured way, providing a quick overview of procedures. However, the brevity of its descriptions also means that it can be difficult to fully understand the described procedures.

To gain a deeper understanding of the Rasahṛdayatantra's presentation of procedures, the AyurYog project and Andrew Mason (neterapublishing) have been working on reconstructing some of this text's alchemical operations as they are described in chapter two. These procedures, called saṃskāra, are supposed to ready mercury and also other materials for their use in mercurial elixirs. The first eight of the saṃskāra (of a total of eighteen) are aimed at ridding mercury of unwanted contaminants and flaws.

This film shows the second procedure, the trituration (Sanskrit: mardana) of mercury with several other substances. The purpose of this procedure is to remove contaminants from mercury.
See the accompanying blog for context: http://ayuryog.org/blog/second-procedure-trituration-mardana

The text states:


"Trituration with sour gruel is carried out for three days with molasses, burnt wool, and salt, together with soot, brickdust, and mustard, each in the amount of a sixteenth part to the mercury.
(Rasahṛdayatantra, chapter 2, verse 4)



The text gives limited information on each procedure, so that a reconstruction necessarily involves using other sources as well. Some uncertainty, however, remains.


The following procedures were executed by a trained professional and should not be attempted without expert supervision.


A collaboration of AyurYog (ayuryog.org) and neterapublishing (neterapublishing.com).

This project was made possible through funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No.639363.

Watch the documentary at https://youtu.be/jM7sg4LCKaM

The Rasahṛdayatantra, the earliest of the Sanskrit alchemical works transmitted to us, is characterized by its concise style. With few flourishes, it succinctly describes alchemical operations in a structured way, providing a quick overview of procedures. However, the brevity of its descriptions also means that it can be difficult to fully understand the described procedures.

To gain a deeper understanding of the Rasahṛdayatantra's presentation of procedures, the AyurYog project and Andrew Mason (neterapublishing) have been working on reconstructing some of this text's alchemical operations as they are described in chapter two. These procedures, called saṃskāra, are supposed to ready mercury and also other materials for their use in mercurial elixirs. The first eight of the saṃskāra (of a total of eighteen) are aimed at ridding mercury of unwanted contaminants and flaws.

This film shows the first procedure, the steaming (Sanskrit: svedana) of mercury. The purpose of this procedure is to remove contaminants from mercury.

See the accompanying blog for context: http://ayuryog.org/blog/philology-and-experimentation-reconstructing-alchemical-procedures

The text states:

"The steaming of mercury is carried out with a sixteenth each of mustard greens, salt, the three pungent substances, leadwort, fresh ginger and radish together with sour gruel for three days over a mild fire."
(Rasahrdayatantra, chapter 2, verse 3)

The text gives limited information on each procedure, so that a reconstruction necessarily involves using other sources as well. Some uncertainty, however, remains.

Andrija Dudić (Andreas Dudith) (1533-1589) humanist, philosopher, theologian, diplomat and naturalist left us a rich correspondence (about 1500 letters) which he exchanged with prominent people of his time.
During his stay in Krakow Dudić he became friend with the Copernican disciple Georg Joachim Rheticus (1514-1574). This acquaintance had an important influence on Dudić's interest and active study in natural sciences. This paper will analyze and expose the relationship between Andrija Dudić and Georg Joachim Rheticus through the correspondence of Andrija Dudić. Although there are no direct letters sent from Dudić to Rheticus nor vica versa in the published correspondence still Rheticus is a common subject of Dudić's letters in the correspondence with other prominent people. Special emphasis in this paper will be placed on the period from the year 1568 to the year 1573, in which Dudć's attitudes and oppinion about Rheticus are most common. Through friendship with Rheticus Dudić strengthen his position in natural science circle formed by Johannes Crato von Krafftheim - Joachim Camerarius (older and younger) - Johannes Caspar Praetorius- Caspar Peucer- Paul Eber- Georg Joachim Rheticus- Andrija Dudić. It is most likely that Dudić got a detail acquainted with Copernicus's heliocentric system over Rheticus. Driven by that he started a more meticulous study of mathematics and astronomy. During that time Dudić also invited Johanenes Praetorius (1537–1616), a mathematician and astronomer, to further teach him those sciences. Through Dudić's correspondence we can follow the evolution of friendship with Rheticus, from a very close relationship to Dudić's clear and direct criticism of Rheticus practising iatrochemistry and studying the life and works of Paracelsus. Dudić even in these early writings clearly expresses his views that natural sciences should oppose speculative methods.

The death in February 1699 of the Electoral Prince of Bavaria, Joseph Ferdinand (1692-1699), shortly after he had been recognized as the heir to the throne of Spain, led to the War of the Spanish Succession. His death was unexpected and not fully understood; later observers believed that he was poisoned. His illness and death were in fact fully described by his physician, Carlo Ferdinando Vacchieri, in a Latin manuscript which is now in Paris. Vacchieri's text, which is here translated in full, makes a diagnosis of the Prince's illness possible. Comparison of Vacchieri's observations with contemporary and modern accounts of infectious diseases suggests a diagnosis of typhoid fever. Vacchieri's treatment is considered in the light of contemporary medical theory (iatrochemistry) and practice, and modern treatment of the disease