Iatrochemistry

Iatrochemistry is a branch of both chemistry and medicine. Having its roots in alchemy, iatrochemistry seeks to provide chemical solutions to diseases and medical ailments. This area of science has its beginnings in the early modern age and is closely related to pharmacology, biology and medicine.

History

Iatrochemistry was pioneered by Paracelsus (1493-1541), a Swiss physician and alchemist who combined both chemistry and medicine in his practices. He believed that a human being was a small universe (microcosm) that was affected by the larger universe (macrocosm), and that diseases were caused by external chemical agents that could be countered by other chemical agents. This was a radical departure from the traditional Galenic medicine, which focused on balancing the four humors within the body.

Principles

The main principle of iatrochemistry is the application of chemistry to the human body, specifically in the treatment of diseases. Iatrochemists believe that the body is a chemical system that can be manipulated through the use of drugs and other chemical agents. This is in contrast to the belief of Galenic medicine, which sees the body as a balance of four humors: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile.

Impact

Iatrochemistry had a significant impact on the development of modern medicine. It led to the development of pharmacology, the study of drugs and their effects on the body. It also influenced the development of biochemistry, the study of chemical processes in living organisms.

See also

• Paracelsus
• Alchemy
• Pharmacology
• Galenic medicine
• Biochemistry

References

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Iatrochemistry

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  Thomas Willis - Diatribae duae medico-philosophicae

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  Celum philosophorum 1527 Title page