Paracelsus, whose full name is Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, was born on November 10, 1493, in Einsiedeln, central Switzerland, and died on September 24, 1541, in Salzburg, now Austria.
A Swiss physician, philosopher, alchemist, and lay theologian who spoke German, he is considered one of the pioneers of modern medicine and toxicology.
Son of Wilhelm Bombast von Hohenheim, a physician and alchemist, Paracelsus received an initial education in botany, medicine, mineralogy, and natural philosophy. He continued his medical studies at the University of Basel, then at Vienna, earning his medical doctorate at the University of Ferrara in 1515 or 1516. Between 1517 and 1524, Paracelsus traveled across Europe, gaining practical knowledge in medicine and alchemy.
In 1527, he was appointed city physician and professor at the University of Basel, where he taught in German rather than Latin, making his courses accessible to a wider audience. Paracelsus is known for criticizing the traditional medical practices of his time, especially those based on the teachings of Galen and Avicenna. He advocated a medical approach based on direct observation and the use of chemical substances to treat diseases, thus laying the foundations of medicinal chemistry.
Among his notable contributions, he is recognized as the father of modern toxicology, having introduced the concept that "the dose makes the poison." He also developed the notion of analogy between the microcosm (man) and the macrocosm (the universe), thereby influencing Renaissance medical and philosophical thought.
Paracelsus died on September 24, 1541, in Salzburg.
