HE/

JOANNES
VAN
ALCHEMIST,

BAPTISTA HELMONT
PHYSICIAN
PHILOSOPHER
c, J
i:

"Aq.
AND

V^
H. STANLEY L
"JOSEPH

BY

REDGROVE,
AND

B.Sc.(Lond.),F.c.s.

M.

L.
AND

REDGROVE
OF PSYCHICAL CENTURY

AUTHORS GLANVILL

RESEARCH
"

IN

THE

SEVENTEENTH

WITH

FRONTISPIECE

PORTRAIT

LONDON WILLIAM
8.n

.RIDER
PATERNOSTER

"

SON, ROW,

LTD.
E.C.

1922

1FD1CAL

CENTEK

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

I
PAGE

The

Paracelsian

Reformation

of

cine Medi7

CHAPTER

II

Van

Helmont's Early Life

and

own

Account

of

his

Studies
. .

.12

CHAPTER

III

Travels

and

Trials
.

.24
.
.

CHAPTER

IV

Mysticism

and

Magic

37 37 41
.

(a) Epistemology

(6)

Ontology

(c) Psychology

43
of

{d)

The

Power

Magnetism

46

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

PAGE

Alchemical

Achievements
.
.

.62

(a)

Researches Researches
The The First

on

Gases
. .

.52
56
.

(b)
(c)

on

Conservation
.57
.
.

Matter Metals

{d)

Transmutation

of

59
.

CHAPTER

VI

The

Advancement

of

the

Healing

Art
.

65 .65

(a)

Physiology
. . .

(b)
(c)

Pathology
. . . .

.73
.79
. . .

Therapeutics
The Elixir Life
.
.

{d)

of

.83

JOANNES

BAPTISTA HELMONT

VAN

CHAPTER
PARACELSIAN
REFORMATION

THE

OF

MEDICINE

In

the

early part
to

of

the

sixteenth in the

century
to

there

began
a

be

accompHshed
in many
at

world

of medicine
that the which domain
not to

revolution

ways the
same

similar
time

was

taking reUgion
{nay,

place
and

in

of

theology,
even

and

with

results beneficial

less

perhaps
Just
as

more)
forces Church

posterity.
the and
one

the the

which
came

achieved
to
a

reformation found
man, to

of

focus

effectual
wit

expression Luther,
the In
"

in so,

the

work

of
those

Martin the
was

too, did
of

which Their

accomplished
focal

reformation master-mind

medicine. of
celsus Parathe

point Ages
and

(1493-1541).
later
Mddle

the

past

"

throughout

authority
as none

dared

based been on ^thought had fettered and, just by tradition ; question the teaching of Aristotle
so

in

philosophy,
and
were

none

dared
in

question
master

that

of

Galen
men

Avicenna three works of

are

medicine.

Truly,
monuments

these

the

world's

minds,
to

and

their

permanent

the

majesty

of man's

thought.
7

But

not

by

bhnd

JOANNES
on

BAPTISTA
the work

VAN

HELMONT
the

reliance of Nature

by man had stagnated into scholasticism medicine a was similar, and

necessary

of the past was to be achieved.

;

conquest
state

Philosophythe

of
was

revolution

if progress

was

ever

to be made.

science of no Strictly speaking, there was chemistry in the modern meaning of the term Boyle (1626-1691), prior to the time of Robert

who
now

first defined

chemical

element

as

it

is

But, in the wider meaning of back the to term, chemistry goes preliistoric with a fair degree of accuracy times, and we may four its history into divide periods, the third Paracelsus initiated. of which Chemistry and have medicine always been and must necessarily Paracelsus in close association. always remain fused them into a whole, to the benefit of both. logical In its earhest days chemistry was purely technounderstood.
:

the

term

may

be

taken

to

cover

such

smelter, the dyer and the period of its history pharmacist. The second that of alchemy,^ when, under the impetus was of a mystical theory of the Universe, which the metals likened and accepted analogy to man sopher's its guiding light, as men sought for the Philothem endow with would Stone, which into gold, all base metals youth and transmute minerathus achieving in the physiologicaland logicalworlds a work analogous to that of the this Under spiritof Christ in the heart of man.
crafts
as
1

those

of the

For S.

full

account

of

alchemy
:

H.

Redgrove's

Alchemy

Edition, London,

1922), and

bearings see (Second Bygone Beliefs(London, 1920).

Ancient
and

in

all

its

Modern

REFORMATION

OF

MEDICINE

experimental work of a chemical impetus much valuable discoveries natm^e was done, and many the whole the alchemical were made, but on circumscribe the rather to hypothesis tended look sphere of chemical research and to hmit its outand aims.

primary object the of chemistry was preparation of drugs their purification and the discovery of new ones. His theory of the three principles salt,sulphur
Paracelsus
"
"

taught

that

the

and in

mercury

"

^which

he

beheved

to

be

present
due
to

all

their

things, good health in man right proportion, disease

does
not
seem

being
to

their modern

portion, dispromind of four

to

the

very

different

from

Galen's

doctrine

corresponding to the four AristoteHan elements, namely, blood, corresponding to air, phlegm to water, choler to fire and black choler sickness to earth, which, according to him, cause
humours
and health
in

much

the

same

way.

But

the

difference that his

of vital and
Galen
in their

theory

importance was supreme led Paracelsus to seek for chemical

was

remedies.
minerals
to

content
state
;

with

herbs

and

crude

Paracelsus their

sought

quintessence. Both as a teacher and as a physician,Paracelsus, ably in spite of most vigorous opposition, was remarkHis successful. followers, that is to say, in the those believed union of chemistry who medicine and approached the science in the and free Paracelsian without necessarily spirit, ing acceptall Paracelsus's of some peculiar doctrines which as are are usually known very fantastic
to extract
" "

purify them

and

10 JOANNES

BAPTISTA

VAN

HELMONT

constitutes iatro-chemists,and their work the third period in the history of chemistry. But it must not, however, be supposed that, because a new impetus had been given to chemical of alchemy carded. disresearch, the doctrines were cluding Practically all the iatro-chemists,inParacelsus the in himself, believed of them possibility of transmutation. Many essayed to achieve it, and two or three claimed been successful. to have During the century the and
a

half

which

separates

Paracelsus

from

medicine made chemistry and Boyle, both and their union rapid progress, strengthened Thenceforward it became both of them. possible for each science to travel along its own path individual towards its own perfection. there Of the iatro-chemists is none greater than Joannes Helmont, who Baptista van may the of his justly be termed greatest chemist of any or preceding, age. Writing of him, own, that he was Professor E. von Meyer remarks
"

independent Endowed with rich acquirechemists of his time. ments and experiences in medicine and chemistry, of his contemporaries who he surpassed those field he fought against in the same laboured the old medical buted system, and materially contriby his brilliant services in bringing about iatro-chemisits fall. Without van Helmont, have attained the to never height try would it was to which subsequently raised by Sylvius In addition, he enriched and Tachenius. pure
most
...

"

One

of the

eminent

and

REFORMATION

OP
very

MEDICINE
of

11

chemistry

by

a
^

great number

valuable

observations."

Dr.
to

who Mandon, judge, WT-ites concerning J. A. B. Helmont

modern

is

equally competent
:

him

"J.

van

was

the He

greatest figure
reminds Medicine
us

in medicine

of

times.

of

both
had
a

Hippocrates and so penetrating an

^

Aristotle. observer
nor

never

so

profound

thinker."

But

van

Helmont
was sense

was

physician, he
in the

also

and only a chemist pliilosopherand mystic

not
"

widest

of the

term,
to
one

man

of wisdom.
he
was

Moreover,

it is

merely
claimed

an

interesting alchemist, but

carried into

note,
of
the hfe

not

those

who

to

have

out

transmutation is

of base
not

metal

gold.
the hfe

His

only because interesting, but

lives

because

of every it shows

interesting, is great man

"

us

as

do
"

the ^the

of

so

many

of the

conflict
with with
1

hght with tradition, of truth

hate.

of

martyrs darkness,
with

of science
of free

enquiry
of love

dogmatism,

History of Chemistry from Earliest Times McGowan the Present Trans, to by George Day. 80 and 81. Edition, London, (Third 1906), pp.
Ernst
von

Meyer

J.

A.

Mandon des

"

J.

B.

van

Helmont,
des Savants de

sa

Biographie,"
publies
tome

etc.,
par

Memoires VAcademie

Concours de

et

etrangers,

Royale
p. 555.

Medecine

Belgique,

vi

(Bruxelles, 1866),

CHAPTER
HELMONT'S

II

VAN

own
AND

ACCOUNT

OF

HIS

EARLY

LIFE

STUDIES

Joannes
Brussels

Baptist
1577.

van

Helmont
was

was

born

in

in

He and

the his

j^oungest mother,
one

child Marie

of
de
most

his

parents,
was

through
descended

Stassart,
illustrious he the

from Brabant.

of

the
his^ his

families

of few of
son,

During
but upon
was

lifetime

published
main

works,
his

death,

body
under the

writings
of
Ortus
was

lished pub-

by
van

his

youngest

Franciscus

Mercurius Medicince translated the title

Helmont,

title

(Amsterdam,
into

1648)."^

This

book

Enghsh
or

by
in

John

Chandler, Refined,
and

under
was

of Oriatrike,
in the
1 2

Physic
1662,
of

pubhshed
1664

London
new

being
Van

reissued Helmonfs

in

with It

name

Workes.

Or,
It of

Jan.
was

reissued three in the time

several works of

times.

Mention

may which and

one,

here
were

be

made discovered for in

tome
"

early
middle

by
the

van

Helmont, century
Of

last

published published
Belgique,
the

the the
X

first
Annales

by
de

C.

Broeckx. d'
pp.

these,

V Academie

Archeologie
bears

de

(Antwerp,
in others
artem
are

1853),
medicam

327-92,
a

title,

Eisagoge
the

Paracelso
on

restitutam,"
of of the
van

whilst

commentaries of lifetime the will

two

books Helmont the

next

of

Hippocrates. published chapter,

Particulars

works be

during

his

found

in

12

EARLY
was

LIFE

AND

STUDIES
other

13

also translated

into several

Chapter II the author gives an led to autobiographicalsketch of how he was the become a physician,which forms practically of the details of his early sole authority for most than to us life. Rather paraphrase it, it seems in the more interesting to give the account which is as quaint EngHsh of the first translator,
In

languages. interesting

follows
"

In

the

year

1580, the

most

miserable

one

to

Father Countries, my Belgium, or the Low I being the youngest, and of least esteem died. and For I was Brethren Sisters. of my brought
aU up
in

Studies.
the
me a

But

in

the

year

1594

had

finished
was

course

of

Philosophy, which
Therefore
at

to

the

seventeenth.

year since I
to

had made

onely
the

Mother, I seemed sole disposer of my

I
saw none

Lovaine

be

Wherefore
but in
a

Gown,

and

though the Garment began to know, that

did expose
in

Right and Will. admitted to Examinations, with masked a Hood, as did promise Learning ; I
for sometime
were

Professors
men

past,
their
at
so

young

that mock
in
:

to

take

degrees
certain the rash
an

Arts,
of

to

I did

admire

the in

kinde

dotage
as

whole behef
account

World,
of young
or

Professors,and also the simphcity

I drew my

of

the

men.

self into

reasoning, that at leastwise I I judgement, how much might know by my own I had whether a was Phylosopher, I examined gotten truth, or knowledge. for certainty,that I was blown up I found
"

14 JOANNES

BAPTISTA

VAN

HELMONT

the forbidden Letter, and (as it were Apple being eaten) to be plainly naked, save, Then that I had learned to wrangle. artificially within that I knew first I came to know self, my that which of no was nothing, and that I knew For the Sphere in natural worth. Phylosophy, did seem to promise something of knowledge, to I had joyned the Astrolobe, the which therefore the speculations of the Ring or Circle, and use Also I was of the Planets. diligentin the Art the Science of Logick, and Mathematical, for delights sake, as often as the reading of other on me. things had brought a wearisomeness I joyned the Whereto Elements, or first Principlesof Euclide ; and this Learning, I had Genius natural made sociable to my or wit, it contained truth ; but by chance, the because art of knowing the Circle of Cornelius Gemma, as hand. of another to Metaphysick, came my Nicholas Which, seeing it onely commended the Copernicus, I left not off, till I had made

with

the

"

same

familiar

unto

me.

Whence

I learned

the

or excentricities, things not having one and of the circular motion the same Center, another Heavens and I presumed, that whatsoever so : I had gotten concerning the Heavens, with great not worthy of the time bestowed pains, was

vain

about
"

it. Therefore
no

the
account

Study
with
or

of
me,

or little,

of Astronomy, was because it promised

vain truth, but very many Course, having finished my things. Therefore when I knew as nothing that was sound, nothing

little of

certainty

EARLY
that Arts
was

LIFE

AND
the that that

STUDIES
Title

15

true, I refused

of Master

of

being unfiling
fool with
me,
seven

Professors

should

play
me a

the

Master

of the
but the

Scholar.
seK
"

Therefore
not

they should declare not was Ai^ts,who yet I seeking truth, and
appearance,

knowledge,
my from A

their

withdrew

Schooles.
was

promised me, so self free to Theology or make that I would my from me it, affrighted Divinity ; But S. Bernard eat the sins of the people. But because I should safe I begged of the Lord Jesus, that he would vouchI might most call me to thither, where the year, wherein the it was For please him. had Jesuites Philosophy at begun to teach Lovaine, the King, Nobles, and University,being against it ; and that thing, together with them, forbidden was by Cle^nent the Eighth. But their Scholars aspiring to their Degree, they had wealthy Cannonship
assembled them
to

the

School-houses

but

rich,they did allure with others, and the more of the pleasant Study of Geography : and one first being del Rio, who the Professors, Marline afterwards in Spain, and the Judge of Tur^na of Brabant, being allured in the Senate wearied to the Society, and had resorted thither also, tions did expound the disquisitions, or dihgentexaminathe Readings I greedily Both of Magick. of a Harvest, And at length, instead received. I gathered onely empty stubbles,and most poor patcheries,void of judgement. hoiure should the In mean time, least an without L. vanish fruit, I rub'd over away
"

16 JOANNES AnncBUS

BAPTISTA

VAN

HELMONT

and Seneca, who greatly pleased me, I seemed, in especially Epictetus. Therefore the juyce of moral Philosophy, to have found then truth : and presently I thought, this was that for which Pythagoras might require the strict Silences of
and
so

many

therefore
years

years, an excellent judgement, notable At length, a obedience. I

saw
a

few

Cajyuchin to be Indeed Christian Stoick. a Study for Eternity, smiled on me ; but for so great austereness, my hinder ance. tender health was I prayed a more the Prince of life divers times, that he would give strength, whereby I might contemplate of the naked truth, and immediately love it. this desire in me, of Kempis, increased Thomas being changed,
and

afterwards
and

Taulerus.

And

when

sumed, pre-

Stoicisme, I length, after some exercise, I fell into

"

certainly believed, that through at did profitin Christian perfection,

stay and
a

weariness

in

that

Dream.
made from
an

seemed Diameter
:

to

be

empty
the Earth

Bubble,
even

whose Heaven

reached

to

for above

hovered

flesh-eater

but

below, in the place of the Earth, was a bottomless I was hugely agast, and also pit of darkness. self. I fell out of all knowledge of things,and my But self,I understood by one returning to my conception, that in Christ Jesus, we live, move, call even and have can our being. That no man the of Jesus to Salvation, without the name on That must we continually special grace of God. deed, Ininto temptation,d^c. And not lead us pray, that given unto understanding was me,

EARLY
without but
sin

LIFE

AND
to

STUDIES
any

17

special grace,
attends
us.

actions, nothing

Which
admired that

being

seen,

and

favourily known, I I knew, ; and

an

my Stoicisme

former

ances ignorme

did retain between

empty

and

swoUen

Bubble,
the

the

necessity of I knew death. imminent I say, that by this Study, under the shew of moderation, I was made most haughty : as if trustingin the freedom of divine will, I did renounce as my grace, and though, what we would, we might effect by our Let God forbid such wickedness, I said. selves. I judged, that Wherefore be to Blasphemy indulged by Paganisme indeed ; but not to become Christian : and I judged Stoical a so Pliilosophy, with this Title, hateful. In the I was mean time, when tired,and wearied with the too much tion reading of other things,for recreasake, I rouled over Matliiolus d,n"Diascorides, self, nothing to be equally thinking with my for mortal as by admiring the necessary men, in Vegetables,to minister to their grace of God and to crop the fruit of the necessities, proper
same.

bottomless

pit of Hell, and

Straightway after,I certainlyfound, the art of Herbarisme to have nothing increased since the dayes of Diascorides at this day, the ; but Images of Herbs being dehvered, with the names and shapes of Plants, to be on both sides onely but disputed : nothing of their properties,
"

virtues

and

uses, to have

been
:

added

to the former

invention
came

and

Histories

except that

those

who

after, have
2

mutually feigned degrees of

18 JOANNES

BAPTISTA

VAN

HELMONT
the

Elementary
of the had

to which qualities, is to

temperature
But

Her be

be

attributed.

when

found, happily two hundred certainly Herbes, of one quality and degree, to have divers properties, and of divers qualities and degrees, some to have a Sjrmphony or Harmony (suppose it in vulnerary or wound potions) in producing of the effect ; not indeed the Herbs same (the various selves Pledges of divine Love) but the Herbarists themwith me : began to be of little esteem
and when I wondred
at

the

cause

of

the

im-

and of so great darkness effects, in applying and healing : I inquired whether there were the Maxims Book, that dehvered any and of For ? Rules Medicine I supposed, Medicine might be taught, and dehvered by Discipline,like other Arts and Sciences, and so but not that it was to be by tradition a : meer is a Science, leastwise, seeing Medicine the Father from a good gift coming down of Lights, I did think, that it might have its Theoremes and chief Authours, instructed by an infused knowledge, into whom, as into Bazaleel, had inspired and Aholiah, the spiritof the Lord the Causes and knowledge of all Diseases, and also the knowledge of the properties of things. Therefore I thought these to enlightened men be the Standarddefending Professors of healing. I inquired I say, whether there were not another, who had described the Endowments, Properties, Applications and proportions of Vegetables, from the Hyssop, even of Lihanus ? to the Cedar
"

stableness

of the

At

EARLY
"

LIFE Professor
But

AND
of

STUDIES
Medicine be
was

19

A
none

certain

answered for in

me,

of these
Avicen.

things might
since

looked
not

Galen

or

apt to

Writers, the believe, neither did I finde, among certainty sought for, I suspected it according to would remain truth, that the giver of Medicine Therefore the continual dispenser of the same. sion ProfesI being careful! and doubtfull, to what I should resign my seK, I had regard to the of the People, and Lawes, and pleasures manners the Law to be mens of Princes ; I saw Traditions, void of and therefore uncertain, unstable, and truth : For because in humane things there is of knowledge, I no marrow stabihty, and no if I seemed to passe an over unprofitable life, it to the pleasures of men. should convert Lastly, I knew, that the government of my hard seK, was enough for me ; but the judgement concerning good men, and the hfe of others, vexatious to be dark, and subject to a thousand difficulties : wherefore I whoUy denied, the Study of the Law, and government of others. On the hfe other was hand, the misery of humane m-gent, and the will of God, whereby every one himself defend so long as he can ; but I may inchned with a more singular greediness, unto the most pleasing knowledge of natural things ;
"

and

even

as

the

Soul

became

Servant

to

its

own

inchnations, I the knowledge

read the

unsensibly slid, altogether into of natiu-al things. Therefore I of Fuchius, and Institutions Ferneliiis,
that I had
as

whereby
Science

I knew of

lookt
were

into

the

whole

Medicine,

it

by

an

Epitome,

20 JOANNES

BAPTISTA
to

VAN
the

HELMONT

and

smiled

Theoreme and a healing thus of healingfrom the gift Teacher, who hath drawn Is the whole the Adeptist ? History of natural thus shut up in Elementary qualities ? properties, of Galen I read the works Therefore twice, once learned Hipocrates (whose Aphorismes I almost by heart) and all Avicen, and as well the Greeks, Arabians, as Moderns, happily six hundred, I thorow, and attentively read seriously, and places, of whatsoever taking notice by common singular to me in them, and worthy might seem of the Quill. At length, reading again my I knew collected stuffe, want, and it grieved my of my as me pains bestowed, and years : When tions, I observed, that all Books, with instituindeed Song, did promise nothing singingthe same of soundness, nothing that might promise the knowledge of truth, or the truth of knowledge. from the beginning I In the mean time, even had gotten from a Merchant, all simples, that I in my possession, might keep a little of my own lector of the Shops, or a ColClark from then and a of all the usual Plants of simples, I had our Countrey ; and so I learned the knowledge And also of many by the looks of the same. I thorowly weighed with my self,that indeed I the face of Simples, and their names knew but, : their properties, than nothing lesse. I would Therefore a practising accompany again, Physitian, straightway it repented me and uncertainty, and again, of the insufficiency, indeed, conjectures of healing. I had known
" "

myself. Is delivered, without

knowledge

of

EARLY

LIFE

AND

STUDIES

21

of hard problematically, or by way question, not to dispute of any how Disease, but I knew the very pain of the Teeth, or scabbedness, to cure radically. that Fevers and common Lastly, I saw neither Diseases were certainly,nor knowingly, nor safely cured ; but the more grievous ones, and those which of their own not cease accord, for the most placed into the Catalogue part were
"

of incurable

Diseases.
of

Then

it

came

into

minde, that the art of deceit, without

found Medicine, was Uved which, the Romanes reckoned

:

my full

happily,
Greeks
art

five

of

I years. healing to be false

hundred

the
medies Re-

but

the

themselves, as being some experiments, less to help without that the a Method no : than same Remedies, with a Method, did deceive most. both On certainty sides,I discerningthe deceit and unof the Rules of of Medicine
in

the

sities diver-

of the founders
a

Complexions,
God
inen

I said with

sorrowful
he
not angry

heart.
with

Good
mortal
one

!
?

how

long wilt
hitherto

thou hast

who

truth, in heahng, to thy Schooles ? how long wilt thou deny truth to a people confessing thee ? needful in these dayes,
more

disclosed

than

in

times

past

Is

the

Sacrifice

of

pleasing to thee ? wilt thou have the lives of the poor. Widows, and Fatherless Children, under the most consecrated to thy self, miserable Diseases, and despair ? torture, of incurable How is it therefore, that thou ceasest not to tainty Families, through the uncerdestroy so many and ignorance of Physitians? I fell
Moloch

22 JOANNES

BAPTISTA

VAN

HELMONT

withall

on

if favour bounds. beyond my Pardon, pardon. Oh away indiscreet Charity ; for thou art the Lord, my radicall good of goodness it self. Thou hast known sighes, and that I confess,that I am, know, my able to do, and have nothing, that am^worth, am I am naked, empty, vain: give 0 Lord, poor, give knowledge to thy Creature, that he may very know other affectionately thy Creature, himselffirst, things besides himself,for thy Command of Charity, than all things, all things,and more to be ultimately
in thee.
"

face,and said,Oh Lord, pardon me, my towards Neighbour, hath snatched me my

Which
much

thing, when

had and

earnestly prayed
wearisomness

from

tiresomness,

of

led into a Dream, and I I was minde, by chance the whole saw Universe, in the sight or view of confused Chaos truth, as it were some or thing, almost without was meer form, which nothing. And thence the conceiving of one I drew word ; did signifie which what foUowes. Behold to me, thou, and what things thou seest, are nothing; whatsoever dost urge, is lesse than thou nothing it self, in the sightof the most high. He knowes all the ends of things to be done ; bounds or at leastwise thou mayst apply thy self to thy there own safety. Yea in that Conception, was be made inward an a Precept, that I should Physitian, and that at sometime, Raphael himseK Forthwith should be given unto me. therefore, and their nights and for thirty whole years after, following in order, I laboured, to my cost, and that I might obtain the of my life, dammage

EARLY

LIFE

AND

STUDIES

23

Natures

of

Vegetables
of
their without

and

Mineralls,
The
mean

and

the

knowings
I lived of

properties.
prayer, of
my

while,
narrow

not

reading,
Errours,
At the
most

search

things,
written

sifting
down I
my

and

daily length,
part
vain to

experiences
I knew

together.
had in for

with

Salomon,

hitherto
be the And the

perplexed

Spirit
all

vain,
which
out

and
are

knowledge
:

of
are

things,

under

Sun
whom and
to

vain

the

searchings
Jesus shall
come

of
unto

Curiosities.

the
no

Lord

call yea, be

Wisdom,
that
to

He,
come

other

shall shall

he

hath
very

the

top,
the
upon

as

yet

able of haue and

do
the I
now

little,
shall

unless shine of age,

man, to

bountiful him.
become

favour

Lord waxed also

to

Loe,
a

thus
man,

ripe
an

being

old

unprofitable,
be all Honour."

and
^

unacceptable

God,
1

whom

In and

all

the
use

quotations
of

from letters

Oriatrike,
and

the

spelling,
of
the

tion, punctuahave

capital

italics

original

been

preserved.

CHAPTER

III
TRIALS

TRAVELS

AND

In
van

the

previous
and

chapter
decided
he had of

we

have devote

learned
his hfe

how
to

Helmont

to

medicine,
the his task

how
the

prepared
the
various

himself
sciences

for
of

by
more

study

day,
meet

especially botany
in

and he
was

the

medical destined and until

not

authors
to to

then

repute.
in with

But

with

many

disappointments,
this

achieve broken
had

satisfaction

resolve,

he

had
and

entirely
learned
and
to

traditional

teaching
his his
own own

rely

only

upon

observations,

the

intuitions

of

original mind.
At
a course
an

early
of
in

age

he
on

was

appointed
at

to

deliver

lectm^es

surgery

the
to

College
his when
own

of

Medicine
statement
was

Louvain.
lectures
^

According
were

these
seventeen

dehvered
this
seems

he

only
view
at

but
^as

improbable
him
"

in had

of this

the
time

fact

"

stated

by

that

he

only
;

studies
1 *
"

his philosophical just completed M. Rommelaere/ and, with

i, Oriatrike, p. 1078. fitudes J. sur
"

Tumulus Dr.

Pestis,"
W.
des

ch.

See

Rommelaere's
es

B.

van

mont," Hel-

Memoir

Concours

et

des

Savants de work

etrangers,

publies
tome
a

par

VAcademie

Royale
pp. of 287
van

de
et

Medecine
seq.

BelgiquCf
contains
we

vi

very

(Brussels, 1866), minute biography

This

Helmont,

which

have

24

TRAVELS
we
are

AND

TRIALS

25

at

some

inclined to put the giving of these lectures after 1599, when date soon Helmont van
he

says

that

graduated

Doctor

of Medicine

of the

Van Helmont, in his University of Louvain.^ works, emphasised the importance of surgery and deplored the neglect of it by the physicians that the genuine man He reahsed of his day. of his hands, to use science ought not to be ashamed and
in

later
"

years

devoted

considerable

time

to

dissections, not carrying out anatomy many (in the Galenical style) of animals only, but of and women the dead bodies of men whereby he able to gain considerable information was cerning conthe nature of disease. Van Helmont, however, was disappointed with his lectures, because his knowledge of surgery at that time the information based was merely upon gained by the reading of books, and he almost gave up in despair. the professionof medicine
"

It would this the

a

appear he
or was was so

to

be

some

little while
as

after

that scabies

unfortunate
the

to

contract

itch, through shaking hands

afflicted with he
was

with

lady who
said

disease.

We

have

that

sequel will show,

for Two
van

the

imfortunate, but, as the bore goodly fruit both event

the science of

Helmont
more

and

medicine.
his

of the

famous

physiciansof
"

city

with diagnosed the complaint in accordance adust Galen's as or being due to principles,
found with
1
"

very

useful, and

to

which
to

we
us some

acknowledge
that the author
events to

our

debtednes indates

although
a

it appears

greater degi-ee of precision

s

of the
seem

in

van

Helmont'
The

life than Authours

the

evidence

would col.

warrant.

Promises,"

iii," 7, Oriatrike, p. 7.

26 JOANNES

BAPTISTA

VAN

HELMONT
salt
to

burnt
and

choler
. . .

together with
of the
disease Galenical
van

phlegm,"
be
in

judged
The

the

seat

the
were

liver. indeed

orthodox

remedies
was

appUed.
he

Naturally
became him of

Helmont

not

cured

convinced

result excessively ill. The Galenical the falsity of the He considered skin the disease of the

system of medicine. in question to be one

it himself
a

in three

months

only, and cured by the apphcation of

sulphur
No
doubt

ointment.^ the

celsus, reading of the works of Parawhom he to freely acknowledges his Helmont's indebtedness,^ helped to liberate van the fetters of orthodoxy in medicine from mind ; but he can only be called a follower of Paracelsus in
a

limited

sense

of

that

term.

Whilst

his

shall refer theory of the archeus, to which we adapted from Paracelsus, and whilst later, was him in beheving, for example, he agreed with of in the reality of sympathetic cures, msmy Paracelsus's leading doctrines he rejected. He did

not,

for

instance, accept
three

the

Paracelsian

doctrine
mercury,

of the
as

the

salt,sulphur and principles, did he basis of all things ; nor

view of
man as a

agree

with
in

Paracelsus's
it
more

cosm, microman on

thinking
as

seemly
of God.
is

to In

envisage
his work

made

the

image

the

Plague, one
"

of bis dreams

he seemed
1

to behold
Scab and Ulcers
"

related,in which the vaults of Nature, wherein

Schools," "" 2-10, Oriatrike, of Fevers," Doctrine Unheard-of
of the 958 and 959. of Secrets

The

pp. ch.
2

An and 316-319, V, "" 10-12, ibid., pp.

"

The

Arcanums

or

Paracelsus,'' Oriatrike,

p. 802, and

elsewhere.

TRAVELS
are

AND
inmost

TRIALS truths. We
read

27
as

hidden
:

her

follows
"

Galen

hath Vaults

seemed with
a

to

me, in

to

have
;

entred

into the

slender

Lamp
the

who

being

stumbled presently affrighted,

at first almost

entry, and
:

fell over

the Threshold

Therefore,

to his Oyl being lavishly spent, he returned and told many ing things confusedly, concernown, the Sepulclires, which he had not perceived, nor beheved, although he had seen known, nor At length, Paracelsus them. having entred with a great Torch, fastened small cord to the a wall, about his first paces, which he might follow of the wayes as a Companion, and Reducer ; he aspiringto pierce whither the footstepsof mortals The had their journey. of rout not yet taken Birds [these being birds of night] is presently that Prometheus it thinks amazed at so great a light,
...

his

had

entred

it dares it

not,

nor

was

able

to

secretlyattempts to seeth very many do it. This man Monuments, he is long and freely enlarged, he fills the entries with smoak, and while he is intentive, as a greedy devourer of truth, his strength fails,his Torch of his fight is extinguished in the middle falls,
his
course,

extinguish the Torch, yet

and
a

he

is

as

it

were

choaked
have Lanthorn that
at

with

fumes.
entred that

poor

miserable least

man,
a

length
;

with

the

nothing might
detain
a

fight of hinder,
from

and

and

nothing
at

might
refused

my

hand and

the
my

work, I indeed
my

Rope,
a

hung
followed

Lanthorn

but girdle,

Crook

at my

back, making

28 JOANNES
a

BAPTISTA
return

VAN
:

HELMONT
I insisting far

path the rule of my only in my own other tilings than

Ancestors had the

Therefore

footsteps,I there saw the foregoing company

^

of

described."
first few

During
century
to M.
van

years

of the

seventeenth
ing Accordvoyages, second to

Helmont

engaged
and

in travel. two

Rommelaere,
Switzerland other

he undertook

the

first to

Italy,the

In parts of the Continent. his works, he wrote that he left the with of going far Netherlands intention an from home, of forsakingmedicine, and of never If he anticipated returning into my Country." hberal views abroad, he was destined more finding the to disappointment. Everjrvrherehe found and same sluggishness ignorance," and in 1605
"

England and one place in

"

he

decided

to

return

to

his

native

land.

On

landing at Antwerp, he found that an epidemic of of malignant fever was raging, in the com'se which developed, often proving dropsy was fatal.* If he had hesitated previously regarding his mission he hesitated in life, no longer. His too intense sjonpathy with human sufferingwas himself of its object. He threw to be balked with the disease, and vigorously into a contest had the happiness of restoringto health a large
number In of the his the
Tumulus
The The

afflicted persons.
on

w^ork

the
a

draws
1 2 '
''

portrait of

Helmont Plague, van true physician. Such

1074 and 1075.

Pestis," ch. i, Oriatrike, pp.

Promises,"
is col.

Ibid., p. 1079.
"

Authours

"

Dropsie

Unknown,"

iii," 6, Oriatrike, p. 7, " 11, Oriatrike, p. 510.

TRAVELS
man,

AND
must

TRIALS be chosen

29

according to him,
writes
:

by

God.

He

"

He

shall

'prepare,

to

the

honour

and to the comfort of his free gifts, thereforecompassion shall he his Leader : For he truth in his heart, and shall possess knowledge in and his understanding ; Charity shall be his Sister, the mercy of the Lord shall enlighten his ways : For he shall employ or bestow the grace or favour of the Lord, and the hope of gain shall not he in his aiid will thoughts : for the Lord is rich and liberal, in an heaped up measure. give him an hundred-fold, his ivorJcs, and annoint his hands He will fructifle with consolaivith blessing: He will fill his mouth tions, and with the Trumpet his word, from which He will fill with length his life diseases shall flee : of daies, his house with riches,and his Children shall bring icith the fear of the Lord : His footsteps and diseases shall be in his sight,as snoio felicity, in an in the Noon-day of Summer, Valley : open and health Curse and punishment shall flee away, These the promises behind. shall follow him are he hath chosen : of the Lord, unto Physitians whom the blessingsof those, who These ivalk in the are the Lord loveth those that path of mercy : Because will he enlightenthem work mercy therefore ; and the Comforter. For who is liberal as by his Spirit, and the Lord, who things freely, for gives many all things. Blessed small some matter, bestoweth and is the Lord, who saves only the merciful man, who saves him that is to be saved, freely. But consolation in the tvay shall meet the merciful man,

of God, Neighbour ;

his

30 JOANNES

BAPTISTA
because he hath

VAN

HELMONT
a

of hope
Master:'
This

;
^

chosen

faithful

piece of rhetoric : descriptionis no mere himself. Helmont vious Preit is a portrait of van to his leaving the Netherlands, he gave up the whole of his estates by deed of gift to his
widowed sister. ^ them He attended the
poor

and

fee in medicines, asking no he was and return only persuaded to accept ; richer from patients by a confessor payment rich men needed who who urged that otherwise

freely gave

his

aid

would

be

too

ashamed

to

ask

for

it.'

Both
the

Ernest

Emperor
and

of Bavaria, Elector of Cologne, and him able honourRudolph II tendered

;

these

appointments offers,preferringto remain

to
^

lucrative

but free
to

he refused
to

devote

his time sick poor.

successors

scientific research

and

Similar offers made

met

later

healing the by Rudolph's

with
1609
van

no

other Helmont who

response.

In

or

about

married, his wife

v/as
van a

being Margaret van Ranst, and daughter of William

Elizabeth
de from

rich heiress Ranst and

marks,^ re-

Charel

Halmale.
all that

As
can

M.
be

Rommelaere

gathered,

the

Helmont's most a happy one, van marriage was and wife proving a true help-meet companion and trials. Shortly after his in all his struggles and spent the marriage, he retired to Vilvorde
1 2 3
"

Tumiilus Tumulus Tumulus

of

"

"

the
4 5

Disease
"

Tumulus

Pestis," ch. i, Oriatrike, p. 1076. Pestis," ch. i, Oriatrike, p. 1079. Pestis," ch. i, Oriatrike, p. 1079, and the Stone," ch. vii, " 3, ibid., p. 873. Pestis," ch. i, Oriatrike, p. 1079.
203.

"

Of

Op. cit" p.

TRAVELS
next
seven

AND
of his life

TRIALS

31

years the free

research, mostly
and
in

entirelyin scientific of chemistry, in the domain heahng of the sick poor,^

distract him

to allowing notliing

therefrom.
orthodox medical

His

attitude of the

towards

the

day, and especiallythe success the practicalapplication of his which attended the theories to the curing of disease,aroused own became enmity of his fellow physicians, which greatly intensified by the publicationby him, at Leyden, in 1615, of a work entitled Dageraed, oft Nieuive Opkomst der Geneeskonst, in verborgen he ruthlessly grondt-regelender Natuere, in which exposed the follies of the Galenists and criticised the To in most their views scathing terms. it is powerful and criticise error, when popular, He knew is alwaj^s dangerous. this, of course,
doctrines but it did not deter
was one

him.

No

honourable liis enemies,

method
so

of retahation

possibleto
that
was

they
No

sought

for

dishonourable.

opportimity for this, however, presented itself, Helmont published, at Paris, until,in 1621, van the Sympathetic or Magnetic Curing on a treatise De entitled of Wounds, Magnetica vulnerum R. P. Johannaturali et legitima curatione, contra Roherti nem Theologice doctorern Societatis Jesu, in which he undertook to reply to two writers, had Goclenius, a professor of philosophy, who and imsatisendeavoured to explain,in a weak in his judgment, sympathetic cures factory manner the and the result of purely natural as causes,
1
"

The
"

Authours

and

Tumxilus

Promises," col. iii," 7, Oriatrike, p. 7, Pestis," ch. i, ibid.,p. 1079.

32 JOANNES

BAPTISTA

VAN

HELMONT
in the be of

Jesuit, Joannes reality of the

the

Roberti, who
cures,

also believed them

to

but

deemed that years

van

devil.

written instance intention

appears this work some of J. Roberti's

It

Helmcnt

had the the

previously,at brother, but without

afterwards publishing it. He was himself, persuaded to publish it by J. Roberti received the he did, only after it had which approval of the ecclesiastical authorities. His of enemies a immediately found large number

of

passages
matter

of of

an

heretical nature

in the book.

As

who Helmont the last man was fact,van of heresy. He could a was justly be accused catholic, and from a modern pious and devout for criticism to point of view is, indeed, open with having treated the dogmas of the Church too Thus, in one place in liis great deference. works, for instance, he refused to speak of an of the earth, because earthquake as a movement immobile. the Church taught that the earth was It was true, however, that in this treatise on the wiU as Magnetic Curing of Wounds appear
^
"

when
on

we

come

to

deal

with

the

book

"

he

trod

far indiscreet so dangerous ground, and was Let the the very to utter as just injunction : Divine enquire concerning God, but the NaturaHst The prosecutor for the concerning Nature." ever, of Malines-Brussels, howecclesiastical tribunal little moved was by the complaint very
"

"

The

Trembling
92

of 93.

the

Earth,
Attractive

or

Earthquake,"

" 2,

Oriatrike, pp.
2
"

and

Of

the

Magnetick

or

Cui-ing of Wounds,"

" 9, Oriatrike, p. 761.

TRAVELS that took

But
was no

AND

TRIALS

33

lodged against him

action in the matter.

by
^

his

enemies, and
tions denuncia-

his enemies
were

did

not

desist and

rained

down

however, deterringhim of traditionahsm destroy the errors

and and
to

him, without, upon in his determination to

in

medicine chemical
at

build

up

sounder

system
1624

of

medical

philosophy. In

de Liege, a third work, entitled Spadanis Fontibus, deahng with the properties of Spa water a previous writer and, by criticising this subject, Henri de Heer, made for himself on This year, also,saw the publicaa fresh enemy. tion at Cologne of a second edition of De Magnetica
seems

pubhshed, Supplementum

he

vulnerum,^ to suggest
he

which
was

F.
often

M.

van

Helmont
;

the
"

work

of his enemies
^

the

says was of the the Collecting

1625
van

book

printed,only for
In
in

Stripesof Censurers."
opponents
of the of
a

Helmont's

succeeded

gettingfrom the examiners of Spain a condemnation

1

Holy Inquisition
number of proof
"

Corneille

Broeckx

has

gone

into

the

matter

van

mont's Hel-

le Notice sur thoroughly, and his persecution very J. B. Helmontii Archives deposee aux Manuscript Causa Annales de V de Academie d'ArcheMalines," Archiepiscopales ix ologie de Belgique, tome (Antwerp, 1852), pp. 341-67, du Docteur le MagJ. B. van Helmont and sur Interrogntoires contain all the relevent netisme Animal (Antwerp, 1856),

facts
*

that

are

known.
to

According
temps
been les

the
to

Nouvelle

Biographie

Gmerale
De

depiiis
We The

les have

plus

recules

vmable

(Paris, 1858), of verify the editions

van

tome

xxiii. lifetime. edition

Magnetica

vulnerum British
*

published during
Museum has
a

Helmont's
a

copy

of

posthiimous
Helmont.

lished (pub-

1662) only. Oriatrike, Preface

by F. M.

van

34 JOANNES

BAPTISTA

VAN

HELMONT

in his book heretical and as positions contained of 1627 appertaining to magic. In the autumn Helmont van was interrogated by Leroy, the official of Malines, and his secretary, concerning heretical the presumably propositions. He the book to the replied that he had submitted ecclesiastical authorities and abide would by the decision of the Church concerning it. At a himself in 1630, he declared later interrogation, willingto burn the offending book if the tribunal judged this to be necessary. During the whole of this time his enemies were

incessant

in

their and

efforts.

The
were

entire

forces
to

of
compass en-

traditionahsm his

bigotry
of most
were

united medical

destruction.

The of the unanimous

and

faculties theological universities

nental leading contiin their

condemnation, and their verdict was published directed at Leyden, in 1634, in a work against A further edition of the offending treatise him.i also appeared in this year at Liege, and the same the triumph of his enemies. Their year witnessed
"

victim

was

arrested.
he
was

His

books

and

charts

were

vent imprisoned in the ConFriars of the Minor, or Franciscans, of He did there Brussels. not, however, remain than two more weeks, since a request that he be allowed his imprisonment at should to serve

confiscated, and

Joannis
de

Baptistce Helmontii
notatu

medici

et

philosophi
ex

per

ignem propositiones
tione
sunt

dignce, depromptoe
curatione
tota

ejus disputaedita. Additce

magnetica

vulnerum
err

Parisiis

medicorum
'

Europa theologorum et ex autographus optima fide descriptce. 2, p. 33. According to Rommelaere, op. cit. See footnote
censurce

celeb

imorum

TRAVELS

AND

TRIALS

35

home, backed by an exceedingly large bail up offered by his father-in-law,was finally granted. His as position became, Ferguson remarks, something resembhng a ticket-of -leave man under police supervision."
"

Van

Helmont's

cup

of misfortune the

was

not

yet,

however, full. During period of his imprisonment, an epidemic of the plague broke out. He was, apparently, allowed to attend certain of the sick during this period, and rescued many. others be afflicted to the were two Amongst elder of his three sons, who might have escaped, had they been wilhng to go into the country and
forsake
their father. These
were

removed

to the

The hospitalat Vilvorde in charge of the nuns. nuns attending them promised to administer Helmont's van remedies, but, after they had received the two patients, they refused to give any

other
result The

than that

the

orthodox died.
of
van

Galenical

ones,

with

the

both

conditions

Helmont's

ment imprison-

been relaxed to have after some appear that he regained his hberty it seems years, and before he died,though the whole matter is wrapped
in

obscurity ;

and that

it

was was

not

until

two

completely of the charge of heresy. In 1642 he pubhshed, his work at Antwerp, on docFevers, Febrium trina inaudita, which followed by a further was edition, pubhshed at Cologne, in 1644, containing
1

after his death

he

years cleared

John

Ferguson of Kelly

Catalogue of
in

the

Alchemical, Chemical

and

Pharmaceutical and 381.

Books

the

Collection

of

the

late James

Young
p.

Durris,

Esq. (Glasgow, 1906), vol. i,

36 JOANNES in

BAPTISTA three other

VAN

HELMONT

monographs, deahng with the Disease of the Stone, the respectively Plague, and the Errors of the Galenists, the general title of the book being Opuscula Medica
iiiaudita. In the

addition

intervening
to
van

year

(1643),
which

an

accident

happened
him

Helmont

Writing in a closed of the cold, he had caused of account a on pan overcome by burning coals to be placed, he was the fumes (carbon monoxide). Fortunately his daughter, with a sound instinct,removed young
his Hfe. the
to

nearly cost in which, room,

brazier
use

in time.

He

recovered
to

and
one

was

able

this

experience

illustrate

of

his

medical Towards

theories.^
the end

of 1644
been

he contracted and
out

pleurisy;
the
ment treat-

and, weakened
which
2

by
had

his labours meted

by
to

him, he hated He succumbed. was by those (and they and folHes his sharp not few) whose errors were intellect had pierced. Not only, however, was he loved by his family, but he had earned
the devotion of and
men

and and

gratitude
women

of
had

the

immense

nimiber
disease the

he

rescued
he had

from raised
in

death.

By
a

his work

edifice of science he found of its

an

stage higher than

rebuilt and

that

which
some

it,he had

foundations, and

himseK

imperishablename
Authority
or

strengthened thereby earned for in the history of

of

thought.
1
"

The

Priviledge
"

the

Duumvirate,"
of the

" 20, Oriatrike, p. 300, and ch. ix, " 54, ibid., pp. 909 and
?

Of

the

Disease

Stone,"

910. M.
van

Oriatrike, Preface

by F.

Helmont,

CHAPTER

IV

MYSTICISM

AND

MAGIC

(a) Epistemology
Concerning
wrote
as

mysticism
follows
:

the

late

C.

C.

Massey

"

Mysticism

is

peculiar
and
in
or

vital

apprehension
and
man

of tional func-

spiritual principles
operations
It claims
a

energies,

of

their
and

through

nature.

certitude and
in

experience,

analogous to that of sensible usually designated 'intuitional.'

province
consciousness
'

Thought,
seeks of
its
to

whatever
for

it

is

exercised,

recover

the
'

synthesis gives
this

related

elements

intuition
is
a

synthesis
of

immediately,
in
an

and and

direct

tion percep-

truth

organic

concrete

unity."
works of

The
van

point
Helmont.

is well A

brought
keen he

out

in of

the the

opponent
opens The
not

futiHties
of

of it

scholastic

philosophy,
attack
on

his

criticism word

by

an

reason.

is, of
wide
the F,

course,
1

employed
of
the
a

by
Modern C. C.

him,
Mystic

with
a

the
from

Thoughts of
"

Selection

Writings
Barrett,
grove
:

late

Massey, 1909),
Intuition,"
56 and 37

edited
p.

by
136.

Professor

W. S. Red-

F.R.S.
The

(London,
Natiire of pp.

Cf.

H.

The 57.

Magic

of Experience,

(London,

1915),

" 28,

38 JOANNES

BAPTISTA
of modern
reason,

VAN

HELMONT

denotation
the

dianoetic

but as usage, i.e. the discursive

signifying
or

ratio-

the to faculties,in contradistinction strations Not noetic. by mere argument or the demonof deductive logicis a true understanding of things to be attained. He writes :
cinative
"

The

knowledge which we was already before

a

have in

by

stration, demon-

us, and

made but

little

more as

distinct

yet it remains
:

by a before, joyned
doth

onely is Syllogisme :
ing doubt-

with

Because the

every

follow
it
comes

weaker

to passe,

necessarily part of the premises : hence that it is composed with a doubt

conclusion
^

of the And
"

contrary."

again

understanding is alway perfected,by the suffering and imaginative receiving. But understanding, which was knowledge or animal beholdeth known to Aristotle, things onely on the nesses liketo it self Images or outside, and frameth thereof, according to its own thinking ; about of labours,runs and with all wearisomness
The

them
Real

into

circle."

nature, very the knower involve intuition ; for it to be possible become and the thing known must, in some way, must,
identified
1 *
"

knowledge

in

its

"

Logick is unprofitable," " 13, Oriatrihe, p. 39. The of Sciences," hunting, or searching out

" 61,

Oriatrihe^ p. 26.

MYSTICISM
*'

AND

MAGIC
a

39

The
the

very
but
a

under

standingness of
immediate

nothing
of

coming to, and

^

thing, is approach
of the

unity of the

understanding, and
the

thing understood."
It is recorded that

on

temple of Delphi was thyself." Man, know

"

portico of the ancient the command, engraven

If
man

could know

but all

pletely com-

know
van

himself thus
:

he

would

Helmont truth

gives expression to

things : this great

mystic
"

understanding it self,doth after a aU all other things, because sort, understand in in an intellectual manner other things, are Wherefore in the Image of God. the Soul, as selves, is most indeed, the understanding of our ultimate or remote, excellent, exceeding difficult, beyond other things." profitable,
Our Soul
^

How
Van

then
Helmont

is this

knowledge
two

to

be attained

indicates any modern

Not
does

less than he
insist

necessary scientific

Indeed,

of need the upon life affords a demonstration his whole

to

requisites. philosopher experiment.

of ledge know-

his devotion

scientific research.

True

of natiu-al

indicates, not discourse, but

the
1
"

"

phenomena is to be gained, he indeed by a naked descriptionof of demonstration by handicraft

fire."="
The

hunting,

or

searching

out

of

Sciences,"

" 55,

Oriatrike, p. 25. Ibid., " 56, Oriatrike, p. 25. The ignorant Natural Philosophy of Galen," " 10, Oriatrike, p. 45.
2 '
"

Aristotle

and

40 JOANNES

BAPTISTA

VAN

HELMONT

No is necessary. something still more philosopher,denying the realityof the spiritual, able to explain how it is possible for has been the from the mind to particular to the pass gained general,that is, from particularinstances by experience,to induce a natural law or general is something magical in it. It theory. There of the indicates Helmont partakes ^as van
But
" "

nature
"

of revelation.
if
a

He

writes

But God the

happy

Soul shall sometimes

conceive

of

in it
same

by
know

God
^

self,by the beatifical Vision, then and beam of light,he shall behold wardly. all other things inhimself, and

of his early account Helmont's reading van studies,already quoted in Chapter II, one cannot but be impressed by the importance he attached he this attitude his dream-experience. In to place in persistedtliroughout his life. In one
In his works
"

we

read

as

follows

knowledge of the Apple of the magical powers obscures that which [i.e., also sleep : Hence pristineman] doth sometimes sometimes dreams it is,that our Prophetical, are
In

sleep,the

whole

and Man

God in

himself

is

therefore that

the

nearer
^

unto

Dreams,

through

effect."
to
of

We
1
"

may,
The

perhaps, be
or

inclined
out

criticise
Sciences,"
of

van

hunting,
the

searching
or

" 57,

Oriatrike, p. 25.
2
"

Of

Magnetick

Attractive

Curing

Wounds,"

" 98, Oriatrike, p. 781.

MYSTICISM
Helmont
for the faith he

AND

MAGIC

41

put in dreams ; but we remember that it is especiallyin dreams must that the products of unconscious thought the strates psychology demonimportance of which modern manifest become though it would, ; to require some indeed, seem specialdegree of of mystic insight,shall we intellectual acumen the ^for consciousness to separate, from say ? dross, that which is of value in what remains should for it of such certainly products. We
" " " "

hesitate

to

recommend rehance

Helmont
But It
was

in the

follow to van anyone he placed in his dreams. have him led him

they
a

do

not

dream

to appear which caused

astray.
devote

to finally

medicine, and it was another dream that in prevented him from following a resolve made moment of depression to destroy his medical a writings.
liislife to

(6) Ontology Van Helmont's deeply rehgious attitude of of his writings. mind is evident in every one of the source His epistemology looks to God as the all knowledge, his ontology finds in God is the of all being. For source him. Nature ComTYiand of God, whereby a thing is that which it is, arid doth that ivhich it is comtnanded to do he writes : Created things Elsewhere act.'' or do alwayes respect the will of their Creator, which alone neglecteth." man he Aristotle's entirely theory of causation
"

"

**

The

ignorant

Natural

Philosophy

of

Aristotle

and

Galen,"
2
"

" 3, Oriatrike, p. 42. The of the Water," Gas

" 41, Oriatrike, p. 77.

42 JOANNES

BAPTISTA

VAN

HELMONT

rejected. After God, there are, according to of things, speaking, only two causes him, strictly the material, or cause or ex qua, and the efficient, The ends (or forms) reside in the cause per quam.
latter and material have
cause
"

no as
"

existence
we

apart from
see more

it.

The the

shall

fullyin
to

following chapter
The the efficient
"

^he considered is
"

be

water.

cause
"

archeus

or

principle, quasi-spiritual whose master workman,"

"

activity is manifested this activity is excited ferments by certain

"

as

fermentation

"

and
"

its

quality determined
in the
matter
was

present

Van Helmont upon. chemist ; he sought to found facts and theories chemical

operated

rather

than

on

impressed
fermentation
he
saw

with of

therein

a essentially his philosophy on known to him, as logic as Aristotle had done, and, the phenomena of the alcoholic grape juice and malt, he thought clue to the deepest mysteries a

of Nature's
It
must

activities.

the

confessed, however, that, as problem of causation, he was

be
as a

cerns conmore as a

successful
constructive

critic

of scholasticism
His
own

than

theory is at The obscure and fantastic. following once Thomson's History epitome of it, quoted from as of Chemistry, is perhaps as clear an account be hoped for : can
a Helmont, particular According to Van of mixture dispositionof matter, or a particular
"

thinker.

that

matter
a

is not

necessary

for

the

formation

of

body.

The

archeus, by

its

sole

power,

MYSTICISM draws
exists. which
not
a

AND

MAGIC
the of
a

43

all bodies This

from
the
;

water, when
its

ferment
mean

ferment, in

quality
of the neither It

determines formal

action it
can

archeus, is
be called
a

being
an

substance, nor
seed which
is

accident.

pre-exists in the

developed by it,and which contains ferment of the seed,the product in itself a second of the ferment exhales first. The an odour, which the attracts generating spirit of the This spirit consists in an archeus. aura vitalis,
and it creates after its the
own

bodies

of

nature

in true

its

own

image,
bodies death which

idea.

It is the

tion founda-

and of life,
;

of all the

functions

of

organised

disappears only at the instant of creation of the body, to produce a new enters then, for the second time, into
^

it

fermentation."

(c) Psychology

psychological notice in the first place that, we opinion, he regarded the contrary to current its upper stomach, and especially mouth, as the seat of the sensitive soul,from whence, by means
now

Turning doctrines,

to

van

Helmont's

of the

archeus, the soul's influence throughout the body, as the rays

was

diffused

of
^

light are
In the

brought chapters
several

from of his

the

sun

to

the

earth.
to

works
are

devoted

this

subject,

reasons

being
1

made

to
Thomson

given for this view, reference be recogphenomena which can

:

National
"

History of Chemistry (The and 183 184. Ill, London, Library, 1830), pp. a A Mad Foolish Seat of the Soul," or Idea," and "The Oriatrike, pp. 272-88.
No.

Thomas

The

44

JOANNES
in
some

BAPTISTA
cases as

VAN
due
to

HELMONT
the

nised
nervous

sympathetic

system.
remarkable
a

of of

swallowing
course

in the

of

poisons. Soon clearly felt his The in his stomach. thought to be concentrated of a couple of hours. feeling passed in the course Attempts to reinduce it by repeating doses of the drug proved unsuccessful. The brain,according to him, is the executive of the conceipts of the soul, as it sits member the sinews chief over and muscles, in respect of in respect of sense motion it or feeling, ; but possesseth in it self, the faculties of memory, the whilst minde will, and : Imagination it was sitteth in the sensitive soul, whereto after the fall." Madness, consequently bound he regarded as a disease,not of the mind, but of the soul ; it only appears affect sensitive to
"

is an account Very interesting experience he had as the result small quantity of monkshood,^ of the effects of an investigation after taking the drug he most of understanding and powers

"

"

the The

mind mind

because
is
^

this and

is

bound
is
"

to

the

soul.

immortal, of the Divinity."

1
"

the neerest

image

Mad

or

Foolish

Idea," " 12, Oriatrike,p. 274.

says
error,

son Thom-

{op. cit.yp.

186)
an

the since Van

or

herb Helmont aconite

to to

"

was

aconitum is
not

[hen-

6ane)," which {Hyoscyamus

that

is

aconitum

henbane

niger, L.).
wolfsbane

is, monkshood,

well L.). The plant was Its physiological effects

known
are

due

Napellus, {Aconitum Napellus^ the ancients as a poison. three alkaloids, aconine,

writes

aconitine,
a 3
"

and Seat

benzaconine. of the

The The

"

Soul," " 32, Oriatrike, p. 288. compleating or perfecting of the minde,"

312.

" 13,

Oriatrike^ p.

MYSTICISM Van

AND

MAGIC

45

Helmont, like Paracelsus,was rather fond of coining new words to express his ideas, though he took care he meant to explain what by them. One of these words is is sigbias," by which nified the of activity peculiar to each power Thus thing,impressed on it by the Creator. a naturall Winde, is a floiving Air, moved by the To this bias of the stars Bias of the Stars.'' he attributed the and changes in the seasons other meteorological phenomena, but the doctrines of astrology he repudiated. Heredity, rather than astral influence,he regarded as supplying the diversities of explanation of the manifold human less than that of brute character, no The beasts. stars, for him, are indeed, as the or Scripture says, for Seasons, Signs, Times dayes and years they are destitute of ; but
" "

"

"

influence

upon has there

tions, rather,
from
In him which he

man, is to

the be

source

of whose in the seed

inchnawhere-

found

Man sprung. is a " twofold

possesses Bias : To

free

will.

wit. One

but the motion by a natural ; other is voluntary, which existeth as a mover to internal it self by an To this "internal wilhng." bias Helmont attributed or will, van in which potent powers, respect he seems very to be in agreement with modern deed, thought. Inare we only just beginning to reahse
^
"

existeth

how
may
at
* 2

potent these powers

open up
to
us

are, and

further

research reahsed it

possibihties hardly
In this

the
"A
"

present
Vacuum
or

moment.

connection

The

Bias

of

emptiness of Nature," " 1, OriatrikCf p. 81, Man," " 9, Oriatrike, p. 177.

46 JOANNES

BAPTISTA
to

VAN
deal

HELMONT
van

will be
work
on

of interest
the the
matter

with
in

Helmont's

Magnetic

Curing

of

Wounds,
detail.

in

which

is treated

some

(d) The
In
common

Power with
many much

op

Magnetism

contemporaries, Helmont markable van was impressed by the reproperties of the lodestone, and he grouped along with such phenomena, under the of general name magnetism," such other cases of (apparent) action at a known to him as were of distance, as, for example, the attraction for pieces of chaff,etc., the hehorubbed amber of consonance tropism of plants and the phenomenon exhibited as by a couple of viohn strings, of sjonpaof instances together with a number in his w^ell accredited thetic magic which were surprisingthat a day, but in which it may seem himself should have of so great acumen as man of Of believed. these, the behef in the cure wounds by Paracelsus's sympathetic ointment,^ but which itself, was applied not to the wound been it had wherewith to the bloody weapon as a serve typical sample. Van inflicted, may the Helmont on Magnetic strove, in his work Curing of Wounds, to show the rationale of this marvel can one only reflect on the difficulty ; and the which even experience in greatest minds from the errors of their age. freeingthemselves of he writes concerning the magnetism When
"

of his

See

H. for

S.

Redgrove
as

"

The

Powder

of

curious

Medical

Superstition," Bygone
to

a : Sympathy Beliefs (London,

1920),

full details

this.

MYSTICISM
n,

AND

MAGIC

47

however, his work is on a higher level. He in the image be truly made its out that, if man he ought to be able to act, then like God 'jrod, effort of some things at any rate, by a mere This alone. is to say, by his word s will,that obscure, man, ver, he says, hes in the hidden it were as asleep, in his present corrupted restricted Its activity is, for this reason, e. own body, but the operating within a man's by van (and is not doubted Abilityremains and elmont) of its becoming fully awakened external )erative on objects.^ calls "magical," Helmont rhis power, van 'ning his readers not to be afraid of the name, the which he says, it is this power 'btless,
^

"1 uses
.a

for his like.

own

ends the

in the power

case

of witches

their

But

11 in itself.
V
3

It is indeed

certainly not God-given, and, if it

is

be

awakened

awakened

less may for evil purposes, no He for good. suggests that in

one

mysteries of the Kahalah eving this is contained.

"ws
:

method writes

for
as

He

"

There ical

doth

inhabit

in

Virtue, given her and )er belonging unto his Image and Engravment ; that in this ect also, she acts after a peculiar manner, an on J Object at a distance, is, spiritually much .ci that more powerfully,than by any
"

Soul, a certain of God, naturally as we her, inasmuch

the

Magnetick 90-97, Oriatrike,pp.

*"

Of

the

or

Attractive
and

Curing

of

Wounds,"

780

781,

48 JOANNES

BAPTISTA

VAN

HELMONT

corporeal helps ; because, seeing the Soul is the more principalpart of the Body ; therefore the Action belonging unto her, is spiritual, magical, and of the the Soul greatest Validity : That Virtue which doth rendred was as by the same drowsie it were through the knowledge gotten by eating of the Apple, govern and stir her own Body : but that the same magical Faculty being somewhat awakened, is able to act also out of another distant her Prison, on Object, only by her Beck, conveighed thereunto : by Mediums is placed the whole Foundation for therein indeed of natural Magick ; but in no wise, in Blessings, but vain that Superstitions Ceremonies, and ; observances all these wicked were brought in by endeavour it hath him, whose alwayes been, his where to defile all good things with every
Tares.
"

But

we

do not the

tremble

at the

name

of
in

but
sense
"

with
:

Scripture,interpret it

Magick, a good

granted that it may be indiffer' ently employed to a good or evil Intent, to wit, by the use or abuse of that Power.
Yet
we

have

"

And
most

so

that, under

that

Word

we

understand

knowledge of things, for acting, being and the most potent Power alike natural with Adam, to us not extinguished become by Sin, not obliterated, but as it were drowsie, therefore wanting an Excitement. is Therefore we shew, that Magnetism exercised, not indeed by Satan ; but by that which belongs not to Satan ; and therefore that
the

profound

inbred

"

MYSTICISM
this stood the doth that
"

AND

MAGIC
unto

49 us,

Power
Patron
as

which

is co-natural
to

hath

abusively dedicated
it
were

Satan, as if he were thereof : that the Magical Power sleepin us since Sin, and therefore
of
a

it hath

need that

stirrer up.

Whether

Exciter

be

the

holy Spiritby

mentions to have Illumination, as the Church of happened in the Eastern Magi or Wise Men the which at this day sometimes East, and happens in others : or Satan doth also for some foregoing submissive Engagement, stir up the in Witches And in such same : as these, the Excitation is as it were by a waking sleepiness, by a Catochus, and therefore is imperfect in Evil in regard of the end, regard of the manner. Obscure in regard of the Meanes, and Wicked in regard of the Author : Nor doth the Turn-coatthis impostor suffer that the Witch should know Power to be natural her self,whereby he unto hold her the more fast bound to himseK, may least the exercise of so noble a Power or being

stirred

up,

should therefore

incHne he

otherwise
commands

than the

to

Wickedness,
himself
; to stir it up
"

Rains

neither
at her

hath
own

the

Witch

known hath

how

who pleasure,
is able

prostratedher
Also Man the

self to the Will of another himself

cause an

wholly Tj^ant.
Art

through
in

the

of

himself, of so at his own great a Power Pleasure, and these called are Adeptists ; or Obtainers, whose Governour also,is the Spiritof God."
excitement
^ 1

Cabal, to

"Of

the

Magnetick

or

Attractive

Curing

of

Wounds,"

"" 121-7, Oriatrike, p. 784. 4

50

JOANNES
These

BAPTISTA

VAN
of

HELMONT
much interest

ideas, we
of
the

tliink,are

experimental of abnormal research in the domain psychology, the phenomena of telepathy, as concerns especially and the voluntary prohypnotism, telekinensis, duction of phantasms of the living.
in view Van of the Helmont and magical power, potency suggests that something of this power resides in
more a

results

of modern

goes even of man's

further

in his estimate

the

outward

man,

so

that

his flesh and

blood

which grounds he magical efficacy ; on attempts to justifythe fantastic ingredients in Paracelsus's sympathetic ointment, which include possess mummy, dead Thus the
man
moss

found fat

and
van

the

the skull of a upon of a boar and bear. a

seem, to the
as

does

Helmont the sublime

it were,

to

oscillate from

ridiculous.

In

which

of
we

these
to

categories,it

ought

is on put his assertion acts side a Magitianess, and by her own every Almost Phantasie ? ^ identically the same in the Occult Philosophy of Corwords appear Novalis recent in more nehus Agrippa, and old of these the opinion of both voiced years
"

be may that " Nature

asked,

All that he declared when philosophers, able," experience is magic and only magically explicthereby returning, perhaps, the only to the eternal that is ultimatelypossible answer Why ? of things. of several devotes Joseph Ennemoser pages his History of Magic to quotations from van occult
1
"

"

Of

the

Magnetick

or

Attractive

" 150,

Oriatrike, p. 789

(wrongly

numbered

Curing of Wounds," 779).

MYSTICISM

AND

MAGIC

51

Helmont's

work and other

in

on

the

Magnetic
adding
as

Curing
that
to

of

Wounds
are so

writings,

they
ment. com-

clear He

themselves
to
an

not

need with

refers views in has notions of

essay
"

deahng
animal

van

Helmont's

concerning
which
found and
van

magnetism
intimates

"

by
whilst

Deleuze,
he

the

latter many

that, ideas, things

illusory

superstitious
in

incomprehensible
Helmont, great
truths.
the
care

the

writings
in

he

has

also this
to

found

them all

many who take

With

judgment, study
agree.
van

seriously
we

Helmont's

works

will,

think,

CHAPTER

ALCHEMICAL

ACHIEVEMENTS

(a)
We of
have
van

Researches

on

Gases
very

already
Helmont

quoted
as
a

the

chemist

high opinion expressed by

who,
Helmont
in

Professor

E.

von

Meyer.
deals

Thomson,
with
van
"

his
at

History
chemical
age Brown in

of Chemistry, length, knowledge

which
writes the of he him

considerable

indicates
was

how
to

far of

his the

superior
^
"

that

lived."
as
a

James

great
to

Campbell doubtedly chemist, un*

greatest testimony
other

prior
to
van

Lavoisier."
Helmont's be

And

much
as

similar
a

ability
from

chemical

investigator
of
of

could

quoted

the

works
The

authorities.
Helmont's for
as

first

van

achievements
is his

in

chemistry
of the

that
now
or

calls

attention carbon acid

discovery
carbonic tions observa-

gas

known carbonic
this

dioxide,
gas. His
were,

anhydride,

concerning

substance

strangely succeeding
of the

enough, chemists,
it
1 8
"

almost until

entirely neglected

by
the

Joseph

Black,

in

the

middle gas,

eighteenth
fixed

century,
air."
186.

rediscovered Black

naming
been

has

sometimes

Op.
James

cit., p.
Times

Campbell
to

Brown the Present

History
Day

of Chemistry 1913),
p.

from
202.

the

Earliest

(London,

52

ALCHEMICAL

ACHIEVEMENTS

53

the honour of the discovery, erroneously awarded not graciously though he himself refers very of van Helmont. to the previous observations the It is to van owe Helmont, indeed, that we word itself ; natural philosophers gas very that some came after, previous to him, and substances as being mere regarded all gaseous of varieties Van Helmont air. distinguishes be condensed, between which could a vapour,
" "

and has
not
"

could not ; and the gas, which proved a useful one, though it is
a

distinction
now

known Chaos
of

to
"

be he

valid.
tells
"

In

choosing
he had
"

the
"

designation
the

gas

us
^

that in

the
*'

Auntients
a

mind.
or

Gas,"

he
a

writes,
vapour,

is

far
or

more

subtile

mist,
"

distilled
times

thing than Oylinesses,although

fine than Air
"

as

yet, it

be many
I call

thicker

Spirit,unknown of Gas, which neither be concan name new strained reduced into a visible by Vessels, nor body, unless the seed being first extinguished." is of interest, The origin of the word gas the fact that the concept and dated spirit anteof years that of is by thousands gas because of significant, judging by the remarks of the more extreme some sophic opponents of philoit might be gathered that the spiritualism, than idea of an justifiable unspirit is nothing more of that of extension gas." In point
this
^
" " " " " " " " "

again, hitherto, by the

;

and

1 " '

"

The

Essay of
Fiction

Meteor," " 28, Oriatrike, p. Elementary

106.

69.

Ibid., " 29.

"

The

of

Complexions

and

Mix-

tui-es,"" U,

Oriatrike, p.

54 JOANNES

BAPTISTA

VAN

HELMONT
the two
In the

that the relation between of fact, we see ideas the is almost opposite of this.

thought
drawn
so

of the

old

alchemical
matter

distinction

between

philosophers,the and not spirit was

sharply as has been the case since the days of Descartes, and their view of the genesis of inorganic bodies was essentially vitalistic. "All "do after Helmont, Beings," writes van sort partake of life," confirming his views some the by quoting from Scriptures the passage : Come let us all worship the King by whom things live." Many other of the concepts, it be noted, upon which materialistic sophy philomay much be shown to have can prides itself,
^
"

their Van

roots

in

animism.
called

Helmont

carbon

dioxide

the wild account on sylvestre,or gas, that it apparent incondensability. He observed acid is produced when acetic calcium acts on carbonate when distilled vinegar acts on {i.e. crab of wood, coal stones), by the combustion and tallow and in the production by fermentation of wine mineral
aware

gas, gas of its

and

beer.^
and

He
in

noticed the

its

occiu'rence

in
was
near

waters,

stomach,
Grotto the he gas
was

and

of its presence Naples. He observed the

in the

del Cane

that
;

burning

of

candle

but

extinguished capped sadly handiof suitable

in his

study
the of

apparatus
1
*
"

of gases by the lack for the collection of such

Water,"
"

bodies
and

The The

Gas

of

" 37, Oriatrike, p. 75.

"

Fiction

Elementary
Of and

Complexions
Flatus's
or

tures," MixBlasts

" 14, Oriatrike, p. 106,

in the

Windie and

Body,"

"" 67

68;

ibid., pp.

426

427, and

elsewhere.

ALCHEMICAL and
in consequence this gas and others

ACHIEVEMENTS
failed to which

55

between distinguish Of gases

of

he obtained.

which, Hke
combustion

carbon and

dioxide, are
themselves

non-supporters

incombustible, he made to have sulphur dioxide (formed appears when nitrous oxide (laughing sulphur burns in air), by gas), nitrogen peroxide (a red gas, obtained the dissolution,in the presence of air, of many metals in strong nitric acid or aqua and fortis) to recording the probably others. In addition in the human of gas sylvestre occurrence stomach,
his works
as

make

mention voided
to

of

an

inflammable the

sometimes A

being
was

by

gas large intestine. progress of

further which

hindrance
the
we

the

real

his studies and

was

to

notion, which he firmly held, shaU refer again, that water

of aU material

the

first matter

things.

This

idea, entering into his descriptionof the nature of gas, makes it confused, since gas had somehow of water. to be explained as being formed In A Vacuum, or emptiness of Nature," van Hehnont described an interesting experiment, which elementary nowadays figures in every of practicalchemistry, mth textbook a burning candle which is placed in a trough partlyfilled with and covered with a jar.^ He reahsed water that, in this experiment, gas was formed, and observed that the bulk of the air decreased, but failed to from draw his experiment, conclusions correct because he was not aware (i)that this gas was soluble in water, and that air played a part (ii) in its formation. He however, the first was,
"

Oriatrike,pp,

82 ^t seq.

56 JOANNES

BAPTISTA

VAN

HELMONT

to explain the explosiveforce of gunpowder rightly due to the production of gas.^ as

(6) Eesearches
Van Helmont enriched

on

Conservation the science

of

by

many
to

chemistry other valuable observations and experiments, besides those dealing with gases. ally Especihis credit and indicative of his originality
in which

are an a

some ace

he

seems

to

have the it

come

within
nature

of

not realising,

only
later of its

true
was

of

chemical but

element also the

as

defined

by

persistence,which for Lavoisier clearlyto formulate in it remained the early part of the nineteenth He century. clearlyreahsed, in certain instances at any rate, that exist to metals, for example, continue throughout a series of chemical metamorphoses. rather This was novel It notion in his day. a for example, commonly believed by the was,

Boyle,

law

alchemists solution copper. of the of In

that blue
van

when

iron

was was

immersed transmuted
on

in

vitriol it Helmont' idea than

s

into

work

the Waters
;

Spa,
and

this
more

is controverted
one

and

he

contributed
rational
on

the

any substitution that the

lition, else to its demoit of is

for

the

more

notion iron
was

copper

which

deposited

formerly present in the solution. In this work he also pointed out that silver is acid dissolved not in nitric destroyed when that it is present in the resulting {aqua jortis), be reobtained therefrom, in its liquid and can
1
"

the

The

Fiction

of

Elementary

Complesions

and

tures," Mix-

"" 22-24, Oriatrike, p. X07.

ALCHEMICAL

ACHIEVEMENTS
of copper.^ quantitative side of
means

57

form, by original
he
is studied
as

Moreover,
chemical

the well

reactions

as

to his especially was paid to the

quahtative credit,seeing how

"

the

fact which little attention and

to

balance of

how
use.

much

the

science

day, chemistry owes

and

in

his

yet
its

One

of his most

remarkable

valuable

the discovery that from was pieces of work a given weight of glass,the exact weight of sand be obtained used in the precan as was (silica) paration of it.2

(c) The
The
this

First
van

Matter

conclusion
last-mentioned

that

Helmcnt

drew

from

experiment may, however, rather surprisingand, perhaps, disappointseem ing of science, whose to the modern m.an views, unhke those of this seventeenth century thinker, rather than mechanistic are vitahstic, and who regards combination, rather than development, as the essential factor in the evolution of the complex from the simple. In silica, Helmont van thought he had discovered He named elementary earth. it quellem," and the fact that the same weight be obtained of quellem could from of its one
"

"A

Third

Paradox,"

" 16, Oriatrike, p.

and the

695.

Modern p.
2

Pharmacapolion
method is to the fuse

Dispensatory," glass with

of
"

"

55,
and See of

Cf. "A ibid.,

then
"

467.
The
an

alkali acid. Power of

to

precipitate

silica
50

by
to

means

an

The

Earth,"
ch. XV,
on

Oriatrike, pp. " 37, ibid., p. 478. " 20 ; ibid.,p. 1001, where
is described.

52, and Cf. "A

a

The

cines," Medi-

Treatise

Fevers,"

quantitative experiment

mercury

58 JOANNES

BAPTISTA

VAN

HELMONT

used in preparing this, led compounds as was him to deny to quellem, or earth, any or power The sand, potency in the generation of things. read of the earth," we in his the Element or and doth natural to never concur works, seminal rightly generations." Fire he very element denied to be an or anything material at of air, as we have all.^ His treatment already suggested,is, on the other hand, neither clear nor satisfactory. He regarded air as being an for no element good reason, it was very ; but excluded from his theory of the genesisof material denied to possess bodies, and was weight. any have Water, as we already said, he regarded as of first matter," or material being the cause, of this theory, he all things. In substantiation described experiments he carried out, one many
" "

"

of which
it is
as

is of
:

much

interest.

His

account

of

follows

"

took

an

Earthen

Vessel, in which

put

dried in a that had been pounds of Earth I moystened with Rain-water, Furnace, which of a Stem and I implanted therein the Trunk or at Willow Tree, weighing five pounds ; and length,five years being finished,the Tree sprung from thence, did weigh 169 pounds, and about the Earthen But I moystened three ounces : distilled water with Vessel or Rain-water, large, need) and it was (alwayes when there was
200
1 2

"The
"

The

Earth," " 14, Oriatrike, p. 52. Elements," " 8, Oriatrike, p. 48, and

*'

The

Earth,"

"

1, ibid.,p. 50.

ALCHEMICAL
and

ACHIEVEMENTS
into

59

Earth, and least the should be co-mingled with dust that flew about the lip or the Earth, I covered mouth of the with Tin, and Vessel, with a Iron- Plate covered I computed holes. easily passable with many the weight of the leaves that fell off in the not foxu- Autumnes. At length, I again dried the Earth of the Vessel, and there were found the 200 two same ounces. pounds, wanting about 164 pounds of Wood, Barks, and Roots, Therefore out of water arose onely." implanted
^

the

It is curious

that

he

should
a

consider
increased

the

possibiHty of weight being due

neglected to proportion of the

material

have

to

derived

from

the

air.
Transmutation
in

(d) The
The

of

Metals

chemistry, if such it be called, with which van Helmont, it seems, may be credited, is of a most must surprising nature. He claims that he accomplished the transmutation of base metal into gold,though imacquainted with the composition of the agent he used to effect this marvel, which was given to him by a of this extraordinary stranger. Let the account
final achievement
occurrence

be related

in his

own

words

"

am

constrained," he
is the

writes,
makes I have

"

to

believe
distinct
and

that which
1
"

there makes
The

Stone
;

which because

Gold, and
at
tures," Mix-

Silver
of

Fiction

Elementary

Complexions

" 30, Oriatrike, p. 109.

60 JOANNES

BAPTISTA

VAN

HELMONT

hand, of one projection with my thousand grain of the Powder, upon some grains of hot Quick-silver ; and the buisiness succeeded Books do promise ; a Circle in the Fire, even as of many People standing by, together with a He first of us all. who ticklingAdmiration the Gold-making Powder, had likewise me gave of it,as might be sufficient also, at least as much hundred thousand for changing two Pounds of Gold : For he gave me perhaps half a grain of and three quarters that Powder, and nine omices of Quick-silver were thereby transchanged : But of one that Gold, a strange Man, being a Friend evenings acquaintance, gave me."
. . . . . .

turns, made

In

two

other

places in

his works
as

he

refers of

to

alchemical
manner

transmutation of
"

illustrative

the

Regeneration of those that are of the participationof Life in to be saved, and of the tells the Communion Eucharist," and he accomplished it : how
the
"

For

I have makes

divers

times with

handled

that

stone

[which
seen or a

gold]

real transmutation

hands, and have my of saleable Argen-tvive

Quicksilver with my eyes, which in proportion made the gold in the powder which did exceed thousand some degrees. it was of the colour, such is in Indeed as Saffron, being weighty in its powder, and shining But there was like bruised Glass. once given unto part of one grain. I call also me, the fourth a part of an ounce. grain the six hundredth
"
. . .

"

The

Tree

of

Life," Oriatrike, p.

807.

ALCHEMICAL
"

ACHIEVEMENTS
.

61

powder therefore I involved in Wax, be least in casting it into the Crucible,it should of the coals : dispersed through the smoakinesses cast into the which pellet of wax, I afterwards Vessel of a Crucible,upon three-corner'd a pound of Quicksilver, hot, and newly bought ; and little presently,the whole Quicksilver with some flowing,and resided like noise, stood still from a Lump : But the heat of the Argent- vive, was lead from much reas as might forbid melted coagulating : The Fire being straightway after Mettal under the Bellows, the increased was the Vessel of fusion being melted, the which of the to weigh eight ounces broken, I found most gold. pure Therefore a computation being made, a grain thousand nineteen of that powder doth convert hundred two grainsof impm^e and volatile Mettal, into true gold. which is obliterable by the fire, said For that powder, by uniting with the aforeQuicksilver unto it self,preserved the same at one instant, from an eternal rust, putrefaction, most howsoever of the fire, death, and torture
This
.

"

"

violent

it

was,

and

made

it

as

an

Immortal

thing, against any vigour and industry of Art and Fire, and transchanged it into the Virgin purity of Gold." ^
We
have here the

testimony
of
a

to
man

the

realityof
was no

alchemical
1
"

transmutation
Position is

w^ho

The Life
is

Demonstrated,"
Oriatrike, pp.
almost the
751

" 58, Oriatrike, p. 674.

and

Cf.
the

"

Eternal,"

752, where
words and

the with

account
same

repeated in motive. religiovis

same

62 JOANNES

BAPTISTA

VAN

HELMONT

impostor claiming to have discovered the great of the Philosopher's Stone and desirous secret of gaining credit for his claims, but one whose whole life was animated by philanthropic motives, and ledge whose good faith is above question. His knowof chemical no doubt, phenomena was, defective judged by the light of modern very
science, and
fantastic
;

his
we

theories

contain
at

much

that

is

least,regard him as good chemist to have having been a sufficiently been able to distinguish real gold from a spurious of it. In any imitation case, however, modern science is acquainted with no reagent which, in the proportions stated, would convert mercury into any substance resembling gold in the least. There is nothing more extraordinary in the works of van Helmont, or in the whole literature the words have of alchemy, than we quoted in other two or though there are one passages scientific Modern which writers parallelthem.
must,
"

but

research
thus

has

demonstrated
elements of the

the

fact of the

tion evolu-

Not
this
to
van

inorganic world, and of transmutation. indicates the possibility of achieving only, however, is the method but nothing even unknown, approximating
of the Helmont's transmutations draw unknown
is indicated
as

remotely possible. Dare we that there are phenomena

science

the

conclusion
to

modern
were

with
"

which forces
?

the

old-time

alchemists

acquainted manipulated
The elusive

unknown

to-day which
wrote

they
under

alchemical

adept who
Philalethes

the

name

of Eirenseus

had

high

ALCHEMICAL

ACHIEVEMENTS
Helmont relative
;

63
a

opinion
from

of

van

his

works

study and a few remarks PhilaEirenaeus weU close. chapter may of van 's Helmont lethes,"after stating that of none experiments is he ignorant, wrote :
" "

quotation the subject of our to this arising therefrom

and

with

What

I most

honour

in that

noble

Naturalist

is, that he did search out the Occulta Naturce, more accurately than ever any did in the World. So that (settingaside the skill of this Mastery sopher's [namely, that of the preparation of the Philosteps find any footStone], of which I cannot he confident of his is extant) I am in what without was flatteryNature's Privy-Counsellor, and for Philosophical verity might have manded comthis all to Secret
;

but

God

doth

not

reveal live

all men, yet who of in this to be Master

"

knows

what
too.

he

may

point

This

speak

not

to flatter

him, who
in his
to

what have

is evident
no

to the whole

World

(besides Writings)
him I
am

other remain

character
a

of him, and

like to

perpetual Stranger ; yet could as heartilydesire his acquaintance, as any man's I know if the Fates in the World, and prevent his death, I not mine or intentions, by mine shall endeavour familiaritywith him."^
When
the these words
saw

the

subject of them was pleasing to speculate,if

1
"

lightof publication, already dead, but it is

may Ripley be allowed
to
Revived

we

Eirenseus 279

Philalethes"
and

(London,

1677),pp.

280.

64

JOANNES

BAPTISTA

VAN

HELMONT

assume,

not

only
but that his
in

"

Eirenseus of

Philalethes's
it
at
a

"

adeptship,
early
met
van

attainment

very have

age/

the and

meantime

he been the

may

Helmont for
no

have of the

stranger
Stone.
the

responsible
There
is

the

gift

philosophic
and
is

evidence,
the

however,

whole
in

question seemingly
1

of

stranger's

identity
darkness.

shrouded

impenetrable
to

He

appears

have this
:

been

born

in

1623. personage

For
see

further
H. and S. the

details

concerning Alchemy
there

extraordinary
Ancient
to.

Redgrove's
authorities

and

Modern,

"

60,

referred

CHAPTER
THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE

VI
HEALING ART

(a) Physiology
For
van

Helmont,
to

all
science

other
or

sciences
art

were

servient subone

that call the

it
:

(whichever

prefers
for
to

to

it

is, indeed,

both)
manifold the

which

has

its

end

which hmnan

mankind

healing of the is heir, and

To of
cure

diseases

prolongation
an

of

life.

disease
nature

necessitates

understanding
order
to

the

of
nature

disease, and
of

in
a

understand

the

disease,

is essential of the of the structure knowledge human functions and the of its body parts. During the early part of the seventeenth century there considerable of interest was a awakening in anatomical physiological and investigation, researches being undertaken important many and discoveries important being thereby many On Helmont does made. the not whole, van to have seem as one profited as much might have of the in physiology more expected by the work of his progressive Harvey's contemporaries. book the discovery of the circulation announcing of the blood, for example, was published in 1628,

but

either

van

Helmont did
not

did

not

read

it,

or,

alternatively,
With the

accept
still

its

conclusions.

Galenists

(of different
the heart
5

to

thought that blood degrees of purity) was conveyed from the various by both arteries organs
he
65

66 JOANNES

BAPTISTA
;

VAN
realise

HELMONT
the
true
nature

and

veins

he

did of

not

of the

respiration,though he rightly which view rejected the current supposed the of the inspired air to be chieflythat of function heat of the heart ; and, cooHng the extreme with his orthodox brethren, he beheved, in spite of its evident in the of impossibility, passage the right to the blood through the septum from of the heart, going so far, indeed, left ventricle mechanism to to invent a as explain why the could blood only pass through the septum in whereas direction the this hypothetical vital also On the contrariwise. spirits could pass Helmont's contribution other to hand, van of no little importance. It is physiology was tended to true, perhaps, that the iatrochemists over-emphasise the purely chemical aspect of the of hving organisms, but it was functions certainly better that this aspect should be over-emphasised than that it should be neglected. Moreover, whilst Paracelsus postulated hypothetical chemical ^in the principles ^his salt,sulphur and mercury human Helmont body, van sought, by such his disposal,to identify the at as were means chemical of the actual various nature juices. In the chapter on his Mysticism and Magic have views physiological already been touched he adopted upon, and the doctrine of archei,which been from Paracelsus, has briefly described. the whole of the Helmont, According to van of the human body is controlled by a economy quasi-spiritual principles, hierarchy of these aU being the archeus chief of them of the stomach.
" "

function

"

"

THE
The stomach he

HEALING

ART

67

regarded as the most important of the body, or rather the stomach and organ in the spleen spleen taken together, for it was Helmont that van thought that the digestive The formed. was juice of the stomach stomach, act without the spleen, according to liim, cannot
and
"

to

these

two

that is the duumvirate," to of the whole body. government van Against the doctrine of the four humours Helmont fulminated, though, as we have already not possible for him to free himself seen, it was all the of the orthodox errors entirely from medical teaching of his day, from which his notion of the passage of a secretion from the spleen to the stomach In particular was presumably borrowed. he accused the Galenists of treatingthe bile as an
excrement. moment
"

organs indicate

he

the gave therefrom

name

Van

Hehnont

"

as

we

shall

see

in

grasped something of the true nature of this fluid and the important part it plays in and his arguments digestion, against the view that it is excrementous both ingenious and are vincing. conHe in regarded the bile as being made the gaU-bladder (which he called "a noble bowel "), materially of the pure blood of the Liver, and of the Gaul." efficiently by the proper Archeus Van Hehnont to physiology s great contribution is the theory he the puts forward concernuig of digestion,which, in spite of many nature fects, de"

is in

some

of

its

features
to

identical the
curxcnt
of

with
view

that
^

held
"A

to-day.

According
and

Passive

Deceiving

Ignorance

the

Schooles,

the

Humourists,"

ch. iii," 14, Oriatrike, p.

1048.

68 JOANNES

BAPTISTA
the be of
in
a

VAN

HELMONT
in

of

his

time to

thought
as a

process

digestion was heat : digestion was envisaged coction, achieving the solution
prime
agent
manner

of foodstuffs the

similar soup indicates

to

that

in which

housewife
Van

prepares

from
out

meat

and

vegetables.
of

Helmont He

points
different

the

possibil im-

of this.

that

the
in

powers

different not digestion are only in different individual members animals, but even of the same species,which would hardly be the the sole agent effecting it. if heat were case Certain stances animals, at any rate, can digest subwhich by no mere process of cooking can be reduced to a solution. Moreover, in fevers, when the heat of the body is increased, the of digestionare not improved, but rather powers likens Helmont van impaired. With true insight, of digestion to that whereby wine the process is made from grapes or beer from barley. By means of fermentations the archei of foods are conquered of man, and ment nourishby the digestive archeus
is
"

transmuted
is
not

into Authour

blood.
of

He

writes

digestion, but there is a certain other vitail faculty which doth : truly, and formally transchange nourishments And that I have ments," of Ferdesigned by the name but there are wisely adding, many Ferments in Previous Sir us." writers, as Llichael Foster indicates in his lucid exposition of van Helmont's physiologicaldoctrines, had caught hold of the phenomena of the fermenting
"

Heat

the

"

"

Heat
way

doth
of

or

by

but only excitatively digest efficiently, and 29 30, Oriatrike, p. 202. stirringup," ""
not

THE wine- vat,

as

HEALING

ART
in

69

being, though mysterious

of the still
"

selves, them-

illustrative

more
:

mysterious
van

phenomena
made

of the

living body

Helmont the first to

matters."
^

it the basis of his

a

attempt
The

connected

system, and "was exposition of these

nature

of fermentation Ferments

is still very

little

understood.

complex
under

chemical suitable

to appear substances which

be
are

highly capable,

conditions, of

reactions specific chemical quantities of other substances largein comparison with The of alcoholic fermentation well
as

causing certain take to place in quite disproportionately

that of the ferment.

malt,

as

the

and grape-sugar various complicated

to

of

known are constitutingdigestion, of such substances. by means ferments various have, in many cases, under isolated, and the precise conditions they act and the changes they effect have processes achieved

be

The been which been

discovered.
much action
1

But
as was

modern
concerns van

science

is

not

really
of their

wiser

the

rationale
^

than

Helmont.
Lectures
on

It is

especially

Sir Michael
the

Foster

the and

during

Sixteenth, Seventeenth "Camb., 1901), p. 135. 2 The following very brief account
an
man

History of Physiology Eighteenth Centuries

of the

digestiveferments

may

be the

of

interest
comes

to

the
into

of

the

ferments
in

which
saliva

The first general reader. is which operation ptyalin,

the

occurs

and

causes

conversion
contains
two

of the

starch

into

malt-sugar.
and

The

gastric juice
This

ferments,
mucous

pepsin
anembranes

rennin.
of

juice
as

is

secreted
In the into
causes

by

the of

stomach other

required and
acid.

contains
presence
a

about of this clot. dissoluble

to

0'2

per

cent,

hydrochloric
whilst secreted

acid,
The

pepsin
called

converts

proteids
rennin

very

proteid

peptone,

milk

pancreatic

juice,

by

the

pancreas

and

70 to

JOANNES
his credit

BAPTISTA
that he

VAN

HELMONT

mentatio clearly realised that feris a process far more complex and than subtle reactions. are ordinary chemical will act, according to him, only under A ferment peculiar to itself ; thus, the special conditions in the ferment stomach, for example, will act acid solution, whilst the bile, or only in a sour the other hand, is salt,or, as we should on now for alkaline, which alkahnity is necessary say, the operation of its own ferment, but is inimical
to

that

of the

ferment

of the
in every

stomach.

All this

is in close agreement teachings of modern

however,
in

never

the

particularwith the physiology. Van Helmont, of a ferment suspected the presence he was saliva, and unacquainted
of the
pancreas. to van six

with

the

functions

Digestion, according of accomplished by means first digestion takes place in

charged into respectively
into the
convert

Helmont,
processes.

is

The

the

stomach, where
ferments,
other which

duodenum,
starch effect

contains
into sugar,

three

change

proteids

The saponification of fats. is the of to in it alkaline, owing pancreatic juice presence sodium are carbonate, and its ferments only effective in an

peptone,

and

the

alkaline

medium.

Bile in

also the

is

alkaline. and with it

This the

is

secreted
into

by
the

the

liver, stored when duodenum,

with the which

gall-bladder required, together

constituents, intestine, the
the

discharged
contains of fats.

pancreatic
certain

juice. Along
salts

other small

absorption

Dviring malt-sugar undergoes further a fermentation, being changed into glucose, whilst is converted into the the special proteids of the peptone The blood. tation undergoes a final fermenundigested foodstuff
in in the the

facilitate

saponification

large intestine,
agency Helmont of
certain

where

it

is

converted

into of

fseces The
course,

by
as

micro-organisms.
fermentation
are,

ferments
van

producing

alcoholic

realised, quite different

substances

from

the

ferments

effecting digestion.

THE the which and

HEALING
upon

ART

71

food
the which

is acted

by the pecuhar ferment spleen discharges into the stomach,

acts

in

an

acid

solution.

When allows
now

this the say,

digestion
passage

is

completed,
soiu* cream

the

pylorus
(or,
as we

of
into

the the

acidity is neutralised is by the bile and a further digestion of the bihary ferment. accomplished by means The third digestion is accomplished by means of ferment a supplied by the liver,and, beginning in the mesenteric veins, is completed in that of this digestion,the archeus By means organ. of the food is finallysubdued, and the alkaline into blood. venous chyle is converted Aselli, his discovery we already announced note, had may of the lacteals,but van Helmont makes of it ; and his theory of digestion as use no the and fifth stages is concerns third, fourth largely hjrpothetical. It is interestingto note, however, that he says that the faeces are formed from the refuse of the food incapable of absorption veins by means of a further by the mesenteric fermentation in the large intestines. of the fourth and fifth digestions, By means blood of Helmont, the venous according to van the liver is successivelypurified, verted being first coninto

chyme)

duodenum,

where

its

arterial very

blood

and

then

vitalised.
be that

He the this

does
two

not

clearly distinguish between

His
view

processes.

the venous purificationcommences blood is passing from the liver to the heart, and The is completed in the latter organ. agent is the vital spiritwhich, always present in the left

appears whilst

to

72 JOANNES

BAPTISTA

VAN

HELMONT

ventricle

of the heart, is able to

into the
transmutes
we

the septum
as own
a

percolatethrough where, acting right ventricle,

the

ferment, it
nature.

blood

into

its

As
to

have

the

blood

ventricle,but the lungs by the

act
as an

pass not otherwise.

act

mentioned, he supposes the right to the left from

The
air taken

into

of

incentive

to

he assumes to breathing, this purificatory tion fermenta-

of the His various of them sixth

blood.
and last and its in the digestion occurs of the body. Each organs ferment of own by means proper to each is prepared
:

members contains

which from
"

the nourishment the

blood.

He

writes

length the sixth and last Digestion is of the perfected in all the particular Kitchins Members And there are : as stomacks, as many there are members nourishable. Indeed, in this Digestion,the in-bred spiritin every place, doth
Cook which
its
own

At

nourishment there
are errors so

for

it

seKe

under

as Digestion,

divers of

incident, so also divers do happen : And

Schools
do attribute

dispositions those tions disposiwhich the four

the diseases
their

humom's, should transchanged : which afterwards dispositions, blood, consequently succeed of the solid parts."
Sir Michael
"a

feigned rather be things owing imto But I call things transchanged,

unto

do into
^

in the the

Arterial
ishment nour-

true

Foster

well

describes

this

sixth

digestion as
1
"

remarkable
of humane

generalisation, by
nourishment," "" 67

sixfold

digestion

and

68, Oriatrike, p. 219.

THE

HEALING

ART

73

which

van

Helmont which after

were

leaps ahead, and

not
^

anticipates
a

conclusions

reached

until many

long
The

year

him."

watery
"

terminology
calls the
"

part of the blood, or of modern science,

It is
"

serum
van

in the Helmont

latex."

the

The

Schools
have
^

indeed," he
the
name

mention

of it under made His

a

only humour." writes, have made of the Whey of the

one
"

Bloud, and
as

it
own

common

as

weU

to Urine

to

Sweat."
mark

views

concerning

this

substance

of the those on great advance cluded be inGalenists. Latex, he points out, must Excrements, but profitable amongst, not it has undergone a juices." It is only when in the specificfermentation kidneys that latex
"

becomes washed

urine out

whilst the

sweat
"

is latex
a

that

has

from
van

body

superfluous salt."
on

Altogether,
ranks
to

Helmont's
on

work

the

latex

digestion as a contribution science of the greatest value. physiological

with

that

{b) Pathology
On have the basis of the above the

physiologicaldoctrines
van cause a was was

we

sketched

Hehnont and
cure

erected

his

theory concerning He clearly realised

symptoms mastery,
diseases
to

of disease. the
its

that

of and

disease that
first it

study merely of not adequate to

necessary
to

trace

beginnings and to lay bare their roots. Disease, he held, is not merely a negative thing, not merely a defect of structure
I

their

Op. cif.,p. 140.

"

The

Humour

Latex, neglected," " 2, Oriatrike, p. 373.

74 JOANNES
or

BAPTISTA
;
nor can

VAN
any

HELMONT

function
of A

humours
cause.

Galenical
dead
man,

disproportion in the theory be assigned as its in his opinion, cannot

from
a

correctlybe said to suffer is something that attacks

have
its roots in the

disease.

Disease fore there-

life ; and must of life, seat that

is,the

archeus.

Diseases, according to him, fall into those that are produced two categories, namely, (i) inherent defect in the archeus through some such all hereditary diseases ^and (ii)those as
" "

which

arise

as

result
a

of

some

external
in the

agent,

archeus, it to deviate from its normal causes activityand behave in harmful such a manner. Amongst external are agents, the operations of witchcraft assigned a place of importance. All van diseases, therefore, according to their seat He in the archeus. Helmont, have
writes
as

which, stirring up

morbid

idea

follows

"

Disease that
a

therefore
certain

is

certain

Being, bred,

hath strange power violated the vital Beginning, and hath pierced the faculty hereof, and by piercing hath stirred up the Archeus unto Indignation, Fury, Fear, d^c. To wit, the anguish, and troubles of which turbation perdo Idea by imagining, stir up an co-like due unto themselves, and a Image : Indeed that Image is readily stamped, expressed, and sealed in the Archeus, and being cloathed doth with him, a Disease presently enter on the stage, being indeed composed of an Archeal Body, and an efficient Idea : For the Archeus produceth

after

hurtful

THE
a

HEALING

ART

75

when he himseK, the which hath wards once admitted, he straightway also afteris alienated, or dethroned, or flees, yields, defiled through the importunity thereof, and or to undergo a strange government, is constrained and civil War raised a domestically to sustain such a strange Image, is himself ; indeed up on of the materially imprinted, and arising out Archeus A true Diseasie : Being I say, which is

dammage

unto

caUed

Disease."

Van disease
;

Helmont
it is

rightly teaches that useless merely to alleviate

is necessary will act as

to

cure

its symptoms

what used He Disease

is that upon
or

such

remedies the

shaU

be

influence

archeus.
"

wTites
is

essential and
3. From
matter

tinguishing primitively overcome, by exof the of the Idea, or a removal matter thereof. 2. Originally, by allaying And pacifjdngof the disturbed Archeus. a latter thing ; to wit, if the occasional

be

taken

away,

which

stirs up

motive the

and Idea

alterative
or

Bias
may

of be these

entertainment,

that
^

Disease,
views to

made." efficiently
may
seem

Such
fantastic

as

somewhat

modern

thought,

but

they

mark

those of the ancients, and great advance upon certain respects approximate to those of modern science.
1
"

in

As
birth Disease
or

]\Ir. E.

T.
a

Withington
Diseasie

well

points

The

originalof
is
an

Image," " 2, Oriatrike,

"
77

p.
2

552,
"

unknown

Guest,"

(5), Oriatrike,

p.

500.

76 JOANNES

BAPTISTA
is

VAN
valuable

HELMONT truth
"

out,
"

"

there

much

in

van

doctrines when pathological they are divested of the fantastic in which language their author and mont's Helvan expressed them ; detailed application of these doctrines to the various diseases which he investigated contains much that is interesting and even illuminating. As we have specialtreatises on seen, he wrote Fevers, the Disease of the Stone, and the Plague ; and there are interesting chapters in his collected works such as dropsy, deaUng with other diseases,
"

Helmont's

gout, and
"

what the

the

Galenists

called
as

"

catarrh."
:

Concerning
The

dropsy, he

writes

follows

Dropsie therefore, is a Disease sionally occaarisen from a bloody depraved matter, it were from a fermental as Beginning : at whose incitements,the Archeus of the Reins formeth an Idea of indignation ; through the power whereof, he shuts up the Urine-pipes,and Veins, corrupts and diverts the abounding Latex [serum], and
transmits this
or so

Latex

into

the

compass
; in

of
the
mean

the

Abdomen
time of

nether

part of the Belly

he
the

straitens

Abdomen,
them

the pores of these Membranes that they can let nothing until

of

all thorow

even

Death."

Gout, according to him, arises through anger of the archeus of the stomach, causing it to disperse the acid digestive fluid into remote places of the body, thereby producing a siclmess of
"

Edward Earliest
"

Theodore Times
:

the
*

Withington : Medical Pojfnilar History of

the

History from Healing Art

(London,
The

1904), p. 307. Dropsie is Unknown,"

" 42, Oriatrike, p. 520

THE

HEALING

ART

77

the

joints." Pleurisy has a similar origin: in the stomack, is an *'for as sharpness [acidity] of the out acceptable, and ordinary savour ; so all sharpness is besides Btomack nature, and hath been Hehnont, hostile,which," adds van
^
"

hitherto His

unknown views

in the

Schools."
"

concerning

catarrhs

"

and

allied

interest. complaints are of much regarded various forms of catarrh and of phlegm distilhng to the head

The
as

Galenists the result ing becomthis

there

condensed.
mucus theory. The according to him, its object being

Van

Helmont
of the
nose

ridicules and

produced by a the protecting of the tissues Excessive from irritation. irritation,however, this archeus behave to causes recklessly. He Helmont's becomes, in van quaint language, an or wandering keeper," and erring watchman or phlegm in too great abundance produces mucus and of bad quality,the voiding of which entails coughing, spitting and other impleasant effects.
"

is

throat, local archeus,

Van
in

Helmont's

treatment

of fevers The

has

much

currently held undergoes opinion that, in fevers, the blood cates, putrefaction he rightly rejects. Heat, he indiof a fever, but one is not the cause of its symptoms, due to the disordered activity of the
1
"

it that

is commendable.

Short
that 386

Life,"
of
e/ seq.

and

"

The

Disease

that

was

antiently
747
et seq.,

reckoned and
2 3
" "

dehghtful Livers," Oriatrike, pp.

pp. A

"

The

Pleura," " 14, Oriatrike, p. 395. Raging or Mad An a or wandering keeper," and erring watchman, or Oriatrike^ Rheume," Toyes or Dotages of a Catarrhe
et seq.,

pp.

254

and

pp.

429

et seq.

78

JOANNES The

BAPTISTA
archeus

VAN

HELMONT

attempts to throw off the that is attacking it by rigours and trembling, enemy becomes but, not being successful, enraged As Mr. Withingand thus produces feverish heat. well bringing out the essential ton has ably put it, Helmont's truth in van Fever is the theory, effort of the chief Archeus to get rid of some is the reaction just as local inflammation irritant, local Archeus The of the to some injury." character of certain fevers,according intermittent is due the to the fact that to van Helmont, archeus, like a wrestler,pauses to take breath, in
archeus.
"

order Fever His less

that his

he

may
^

the

better

"

shake

off

the

enemy."
on

work

the

disease

of

the

stone

is not

the

mation interesting. Paracelsus, observing the forof a hard in wine-barrels deposit from assumed the presence wine or argol ^tartar,
^
" "

of this

or

of allied substances attributed

in food

and

drink

generally,and
of The which
many
term
"

thereto

the

causation

diseases, especiallythat of the stone. tartar as applied to the incrustation

"

forms

on

the

teeth

is

remnant

which This

still

of parsists
of tartar
cause as

the

Paracelsian

doctrine.
and

theory
and
as a

present in all food

Helmont the
tartar

drink

He

of disease, van pointed out that formed

means

hotly contested.
of wine
is not

could
true

be of

dissolved
stones

by boiling water,
in

which

the

bladder.
at
a

He

chemical
1 2
"

to arrive

true

sought by understanding
973

O'p. ciL, p. 306.

A

Treatise substance

of

Fevers,"
is crude

ch. ix, "" 1-6, Oriatrike, pp.

and
3

974. The

potassium hydrogen

tartrate.

THE
of the
nature

HEALING
and
cause

ART of

79 stones
:

these

and

although
century
to
was

the

achieve
in

seventeenth chemistry of the advanced not for him sufficiently he certainly pointed the success,
more

direction
to

which He

successful
w^e

research

was

proceed.
of
an

was,

should

mention,

the

inventor The caused

improved catheter. Plague, according to van by a poisonous gas, which

in

Helmont,
stirs up
an

is

idea says,

of terror result of
as

the

archeus.
for

the

imagination is of exceeding potency, as is evident, to use an illustration he employs on numerous occasions, in the case of a pregnant woman, who, through her imagination,imprints on her offspring a mark, such as that of a cherry. His work the Plague is on marred by many superstitiousnotions, such as the belief that a useful zenexton or prophylactic be made from dried can toads, and cannot, perhaps, be regarded as so useful a contribution science as his other medical to medical writings.
" "

infection

product alone,

it may, of foreboding and

But

he

the terror

the

(c) Therapeutics
In stomach
view

of
and of

the the
van

importance
function
of

attached

to

the

physiology
expect him

to have

not however, was others, he laid down

digestion in the Helmont, we might naturally been a keen dietetist. Such, the case. Scoffing at all rule of diet only, namely, one
:

that
"

of moderation Let the

Supream
be
a

defence

of

Long
that

Life
are

(although it

cruel

thing

to

those

80 JOANNES

BAPTISTA

VAN

HELMONT

unaccustomed) be Sobriety : Otherwise, those favour, do noiurish best ; and a things which will easily concoct those Foods hungry Man
which

do

favour

him
as

most."
seems

If, however,
Helmont
failed

to

be

the

case,

van

appreciate the importance of not was dietetics,which unrecognised by other than compensated physicians of his day, he more in his work Fevers for this by his exposure, on and letting elsewhere, of the gross folly of the bloodfor long had been, and and purging which
to

still were,
treatment

the for
one

two

most

favoured

means

of

almost

heir.
that
"

On

flesh is ill to which every he wrote that he feared occasion Lord shall avert be
it
. . .

unless

the

the Life
at

length the Grave in its green eare, through to pass unto the Offence of Cutting of a Vein, andPurgings," of the physicians of his denunciations and in one that of his day, he declared a bloody Moloch sits president in the Chairs of Medicine." ment His fear was not an exaggerated one ; his indictnot of the Galenists mijust. Blood-letting and excessive purging, those fetishes of old-time innumerable have claimed must medical practice, of whom, perhaps, might have victims, many their illnesses by means from recovered merely the of Nature's recuperative powers unaided ; and is under a deep debt of gratitude science of medicine
*
" " "

of Mortals

will

dayly

shortned,

and

'

1 2 3

"

"

"

CJ.

"'

Paradox," " 6, Oriatrike, p. 702. A Preface," Oriatrike, p. 631. A Mad Pleura," or Raging " 34, Oriatrike, p. 399. Catarrhe of The Rheume," or a " 35, ibid.,p. 439. Toyes
A Sixth

THE
to
van

HEALING
for

ART

81

pointing out how brutal and and for indicating these practiceswere pernicious for the combatting of disease. better means differed from Paracelsus Although van Helmont in so many points, both in his views concerning in his of disease, and the origin and nature lowed folto have chemical theories, yet he appears him closelyin his therapeutics. It very first was Paracelsus, in all probabihty, who in medicine, of laudanum the use introduced is due the employment of and to him especially and antimonial mercurial preparations as internal by the remedies, a practice violentlycondemned Galenists,who indeed hardly dared to use such made able considerdrugs externally. Van Helmont
Helmont
use

of these

valuable

and

potent medicines

and

wine, also, he according to him,

highly commended.
are

These,

pacify and
functions

appease and, above

to

to agents as serve the archeus, to regulateits coming all, to assist it in over-

such

employed character, many including herbal preparations, concerning which and much curious interesting (if not always is to be found entirely reliable)information But he cordially detested scattered in his works. of the apothecaries of his day, the concoctions nauseating to the taste and composed, in many of innumerable compounded ingredients, cases, together in the hope that if one did not effect a would another cure and, like Paracelsus, he ; the apothecaries (altogether roundly accused their drugs. of adulterating justly)
6

He also of disease. the powers of diverse medicines other

82 JOANNES

BAPTISTA
as

VAN

HELMONT

Helmont spices,van tells us, act on the archeus of their by means odours Certain sweet or pleasant tastes. drugs remove impurities; others, he writes, do move the much Archeus, not so by cleansing and by appeasing his sequestring Impurities, as Griefs,Disturbances, and a continual and successive It is substitutingof Nourishing Idea's." especiallyinterestingto note that he suggests
"

Some

medicines, such

the

use

of alkaline

substances

in the to be due

treatment

of

those maladies
of
case

he considers
as

to

an

excess

acid, such
of
as

fevers

gout and pleurisy; whilst in the he sudorifics, wisely advocates

is

such
Van

mercurials. Helmont somewhat

reticent in his

writings concerning the preparation of the more he used. He important of the remedies praises highlythe Arcana or secret remedies of Paracelsus, three of which, namely, the Liquor Alkahest, the Tincture of Lile (an antimonial preparation) and Diaphoretic Mercury, he says are capable of The disease. curing every preparation and properties of the last mentioned, which he also described "Horizontal calls in are Gold," chapter xiv of his treatise on Fevers, and some further particulars are given in chapter viii of the
^ 1
'*

In

Words,
be

Herbs,

and

Stones, there

is great

Virtue,"

Oriatrike, p. 583.
'

It is to

many

boHc
this

commentators have, in regretted that modern the somewhat far instances, so misinterpreted hyperto assign properties to as language of the alchemists
were

preparation which like van practical men

it could not
a

not

really claimed
and Helmont' which
s

for

it

by

Helmont,
Van of solution

show
was

possess.

it is easy to Liquor Alkahest

possibly

strong

potassium carbonate.

THE work
is not
on

HEALING
of the

ART

83

the

Disease

Stone.

The

account

clear,but apparently the drug particularly chloride or calomel. mercurous Concerning was and the manner of making the Liquor Alkahest Helmont is silent. the Tincture of Lile, van Others, he says, must learn philosophy as he has done, namely, by experiment. He writes:
"

For

God

sels Arts

to

Sweats.

For

nothing

in

intent to that Alchymical things is written that they may be promiscuously understood by not be understood : all,but onely, that they may And that thing,Chymistry hath alwayes observed by the singular to it, before other Disciplines, be spread Command of God ; least Roses should before Men, and Swine : For our Writings are in stead of Exhortations, that one may every shall be as Labours, as much profitby his own indulged him from above."
^

Another

remedy

he favoured

was

mercuric
"

oxide

(red oxide of mercury), which corallinum," no doubt because (d) The

In
common

he called

Arcanum

of its colour.
of

Elixir

Life

with other alchemists, van of old-time

denied medical of Life. But he

Hehnont

believed in that marvel

the EUxir

theory,
to the
same

in contradistinction it to

majority of them
substance
as

be

the

from
1

the
"A

Philosopher's Stone or a preparation It is distinguishedby him thereof. of Paracelsus, as being, not a Arcana
the
Vindication
of

Childish

the

Humorists,"

" 5,

Oriatrike, p. 623.

84 JOANNES

BAPTISTA

VAN

HELMONT

of drug for the curing of disease, but a means preserving life and its faculties unimpaired by
the of age. ravages Van Helmont says that this

Elixir

can

be

of by extracting the essential essence the wood of the imperishable cedar of Lebanon of Paracelsus. of the Liquor Alkahest by means is Another preservative of life that he mentions the distilled liquor of sulphur, i.e. a solution of sulphurous acid. He says that, in the year 1600, then fifty-eight a man, years old (concerningwhom and the name some particularsare mentioned), of life." He defence some begged of him scribed preand of two drops of this liquor, a daily dose obtained
"

records that
and
in

as

result of its

use

the

man

was

alive

without good health forty-one years later, having experienced any illness in the meantime.^ To
cure

disease

and

but the philosopher great objects of is continually haunted by the question, is this mysterious something which What we it to light. Helmont Van call Life ? compares is a formall he says, The life of man," light," pointing out, however, that this is an analogy only, and not altogether satisfactory. Of life

the

preserve medicine ;

to

life :

such

are

"

"

itself he writes
"

as

follows had
a

Although
give
Creature his
;

God

she

wen

to

any

one

the

essence never

of life in
own

composed
honour

Seeing life incomprehensible God himseK."

any
1 2
"

Body ; yet he will of teaching it, unto in the abstract, is the

^

The The

Tree Bias

"

Life," Oriatrike, pp. 813 and 814. of Man," " 22, Oriatrike, p. 179.
of

THE

HEALING

ART

85

possible to Perhaps this is the only answer and is life ? What the great question haps perscience which this is the answer biological somewhat seem although its present mien may materialistic ultimately achieve. may
" "
" "

suppose rarely if ever

We

that read

the works

of

van

Helmont

are

perhaps by nowadays, save the history of science their have made those who be confessed Indeed, it must especial concern. tedious of his chapters are that many reading, dealing as they do with forgotten controversies does the lost their significance. Nor that have of FranciscusMercurius's editing(orrather manner The lack of editing)add to their attractiveness. latter seems, indeed, to have flung together the various chapters, both of previously published
books
any The and those
to

which

were

new,

with

little if tion indica-

regard
as

their contents, and order

in which

with

no

to

the

patient reader of these certainlynot be unrewarded. great scientific interest, the

of of
a

written. they were works, however, wiU Apart from their revelation they provide

noble

character and

"

remarkable

for
"

ness lofti-

of a sincerity of purpose man by the desire to do altogether animated good to his fellow-men, a true and impassioned lover of God is of great and permanent value. Helmont's and van anon genius Moreover, ever but be asthe reader flashes out, and cannot tounded less at his originality. Never man was to afraid less anxious of unorthodoxy, never show between his own thought and agreement motive
"

86 JOANNES that

BAPTISTA

VAN
He
"

HELMONT
to call

of his

his ideas refer

no

contemporaries. of by the name

doctrines
"

dehghted paradoxes,"
of."

and

to

to

his

as

unheard

to not the best way doubt, was of storm learnt what have for them, and a we be an Yet it would error opposition he aroused. that all his scientific contemporaries to suppose not to appreciate something of dense as so were

This, gain acceptance

his

greatness.

"

Eirenseus of
an van

Philalethes Helmont. and

a

"

was

not

alone

in his encomium

Nicolas

Lefevre, for example,

who

alchemist
science

physician
number

enriched

chemical

with
A

of

Compendious published in London Body of Chymistry was in the Helmont died, wrote shortly after van should We thereto : Preface ungrateful! prove of a most worthy to our Age, and the memory should if we charitable Physician and passe Helmont the subtil Van lately by unmentioned that of with deceased," and, coupling his name as men the illustrious Glauber, spoke of the two to follow in the and Lights which are Beacons we ^ Theory of Chymistry and the best practiceof it." after for the guidance of those that came A light him : no higher word of praise is possible,and truer word Helmont no of Joannes Baptista van
valuable

observations, and

whose

"

...

"

has
1

been
Nicolas

written.
Lefevre
. . .

(Nicasius
Rendred 3 and 4.

Body of Chymistry (London, 1664), pp.

Febure) : A Compendious into English, by P. D. C, Esq.

le

Printed

in

Great

Britain

hy Hazell,
and

Watson

db Viney, Ld,,

London

Aylesbury.

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