Alchemy to Toxicology

Steven G. Gilbert, PhD, DABT

InstituteofNeurotoxicology& Neurological Disorders
sgilbert@innd.org

Alchemy defined
The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making

the Sorcerers Stone, a legendary substance with

astonishing powers. The Stone will transform any metal
into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will
make the drinker immortal.
There have been many reports of the Sorcerers Stone

over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in

existence belongs to Mr. Nicolas Flamel, the noted
alchemist and opera lover. Mr. Flamel, who celebrated his
665 birthday last year, enjoys a quiet life on Devon with
his wife, Perenelle (658).
From: Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone J.K. Rowling

Nicolas Flamel
1330 Paris, March 22, 1418
succeeded at the two goals of

alchemy: that he made the

Philosopher's Stone, which turns
base metals into gold, and that he
and his wife Perenelle achieved
immortality through the "Elixir of
Life".
Flamel had achieved legendary
status within the circles of alchemy
by the mid 17th Century
Others think untrue all made up

Alchemy
word alchemy itself was

derived from the Arabic word

al-kimia
Alchemy is the art of liberating
parts of the Cosmos from
temporal existence and
achieving perfection
As above, so below.
the body, souls and spirit
correspond to salt, sulphur, and
mercury

Goals of Alchemy
creation of the philosopher's

stone possessing powers

turning base metals into the
noble metals gold or silver
an elixir of life conferring
youth and longevity
(creation of a panacea)
a universal cure for disease,
a universal solvent alkahest

"The alchemist", by Sir William

Fettes Douglas, 1853

Hermes Trismegistus
Egyptian origins predate common era
Egyptian alchemist, 172 BCE Memphis in Egypt???
author of the Hermetic Corpus, a series of sacred

texts that are the basis of Hermeticism

combination of the Greek god Hermes and the
Egyptian god Thoth
Egyptian god of wisdom as a patron of astrology and

alchemy
During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the
writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, known as
Hermetica, were popular among alchemists. The
"hermetic tradition refers to alchemy, magic, astrology
and related subjects. - with practical magic, potions and
alchemy

Emerald Tablet
Also called The Secret of Hermes

by Hermes Trismegistus ("Hermes

the Thrice-Greatest") 172 BCE
A text purporting to reveal the
secret of the primordial substance
and its transmutations
Translations - Arabic, the Latin, and Isaac Newton
Short 13-14 lines
Also attributed to Jabir ibn Hayyan
Tablet became a mainstay of medieval and

Renaissance alchemy - greatest primary

document of alchemy

Hermeticism
Hermes Trismegistus - Egyptian

alchemist - author of the Hermetic

Corpus, a series of sacred texts that
are the basis of Hermeticism
The four classical elements of earth,
water, air, and fire are used often in
alchemy
As above, so below - levels of
reality: physical, emotional, and
mental, this relates that what happens
on any level happens on every other
Still exists as cult believe

Set back
296 AD Diocletian decreed

destruction of Egyptian
texts on alchemy
Roman Emperor from 284
to 305
Arabic / Persian take the
lead in alchemy / science
Greeks & Islamics as basis
of alchemy's more scientific
principles

Jbir ibn Hayyn

Known as Geber - Born 721 in Tus, Persia;

died 815 in Kufa, Iraq

a chemist and alchemist, astronomer and

astrologer, engineer, geographer,

philosopher, physicist, and pharmacist and
physician.
first practical alchemist to science based
Less mystical - More lab based
Expands mystical elements into fire, earth,

water , and air

credited with the use of over twenty types

of now-basic chemical laboratory

equipment
ultimate goal of takwin the artificial creation of life
Arabic version of the Emerald Tablet, an ancient work that proved

a recurring foundation of and source for alchemical operations

Jbir ibn Hayyn

mercury-sulfur theory, metals

differ from each in so far as they

contain different proportions of
the sulfur and mercury
The seeds of the modern classification of elements into metals

and non-metals could be seen in his chemical nomenclature. He

proposed three categories:
"Spirits" which vaporise on heating, like arsenic (realgar,

orpiment), camphor, mercury, sulfur, sal ammoniac, and

ammonium chloride.
"Metals", like gold, silver, lead, tin, copper, iron, and khar-sini
Non-malleable substances, that can be converted into powders,

such as stones.

Jbir ibn Hayyn

The first chemist ??

clear recognition of the importance of

experimentation, "The first essential in chemistry

is that thou shouldest perform practical work and
conduct experiments, for he who performs not
practical work nor makes experiments will never
attain to the least degree of mastery.

Muhammad ibn Zakariy Rz

Persian (August 26, 865 925)
physician, alchemist and chemist,

philosopher, and scholar

As an alchemist, Razi was known
for his study of sulfuric acid
First physician to distinguish smallpox and measles
pioneered use of Humorism (The Four Humors, or

Temperaments) as diagnostic method, the

categorization of health via the ratios of the four
bodily fluids

Raymundus Lullus
Franciscan monk from

what is present-day Spain

(1232 - June 29, 1315)
active botanist and
alchemist
first to discover the
chemical group later called
ether

Paracelsus Alchemy to
Toxicology
German-Swiss Dec. 17, 1493 Sept. 24, 1541
Renaissance physician, botanist, alchemist,

astrologer, and general occultist

All things are poison and nothing (is) without
poison; only the dose makes that a thing is no
poison.
The dose makes the poison

See Hermetic and Alchemical Writings of

Paracelsus pt. 1 - Primary source; translation of

Paracelsus' alchemical writings
Many have said of Alchemy, that it is for the
making of gold and silver. For me such is not the
aim, but to consider only what virtue and power
may lie in medicines.

Paracelsus Alchemy to
Toxicology
universal solvent (alkahest)
Paracelsus recipe: caustic lime,

alcohol, carbonate of potash

(believed alkahest was the
Philosophers Stone)
Azoth (universal medicine; essential

transformative agent of alchemy [in short,

divine essence])
Paracelsus claimed discovery; portraits show
him carrying sword inscribed azoth

George Starkey
(16281665), born in Bermuda, moved from

New England to London England 1650

was an American alchemist, medical
practitioner, the Philosopher by Fire.
Robert Boyles chemistry tutor
Influenced Isaac Newton
Pursued the secrets of alchemy, production
of pharmaceuticals and the transmutation of
metallic substances.
Starkeys sophic mercury was an amalgam
of antimony, silver, and mercury, which
could dissolve gold into a mixture that when
heated, produced the mythical philosopher's
stone,
Iatrochemistry - physical health was
dependent on a specific balance of bodily
fluids

Robert Boyle
January 25, 1627 December 31, 1691

born in Ireland - natural philosopher, chemist,

physicist, alchemist, inventor, theologist.
Considered the first modern chemist but with
roots in the alchemical tradition
pioneer of modern experimental scientific
method
Boyle's law - describes the inversely
proportional relationship between the
absolute pressure and volume of a gas
The Sceptical Chymist (1661) is seen as a
cornerstone book in chemistry rejecting
alchemical perception of the universe.

Rosicrucianism
founded in late medieval Germany by

Christian Rosenkreuz (1378-1484)

early 15th century 1407??
founder of the Rosicrucian Order
(Order of the Rose Cross)
hermetic and alchemical texts of those
times
Became Ancient and Mystical Order
Rosea Crucis (AMORC)

Harvey Spencer Lewis

November 25, 1883 August 2, 1939,

born in Frenchtown, NJ
Rosicrucian author, occultist, and
mystic
Ancient and Mystical Order Rosea
Crucis (AMORC) founder and first
Imperator from 1915 until 1939.

"transmutation" of zinc into gold a

demonstration of classic alchemical principles,

in New York City,on June 22, 1916 hosted by
Lewis

Contributions
Early scientists trying to

understand matter and our

relation to it
Recognized importance of
experimentation
Developed apparatus use
be chemists - distillation

Jbir ibn Hayyn

Mercury
Liquid metal
Evaporates when heated
Philosophical mercury

(amalgam of mercury, gold,

antimony), constituent
element of Philosopher's Stone
the metals: sulphur, 'the stone
which burns',
mercury, which contained the
idealized principle of metallic
properties

References
Alchemy Toxipedia general information on alchemy
Alchemy - Wikipedia article on alchemy
History of Alchemy (overview, written by devotee of alchemy)
Hermetic and Alchemical Writings of Paracelsus pt. 1 (Primary

source; translation of Paracelsus' alchemical writings)

Arabic alchemy & toxicology (history on the more science-focused
works of 9th/10th century Arab alchemists)
The Twisted History of Alchemy (Economist article on split of
chemistry from alchemy)
History of alchemy in America by Mark Stavish (history of alchemy in
America, focus on the modern state of alchemists)
Ancient and Mystical Order Rosae Crucis AMORC web site
The Alchemical Quest - Chemical Heritage Foundation great
interactive site

Preparation and Thanks

Prepared by Steven G. Gilbert, PhD, DABT

InstituteofNeurotoxicology& Neurological

Disorders
E-mail sgilbert@innd.org
January 15, 2013 http://www.toxipedia.org/display/toxipedia/Al
chemy
Poster and Presentation are available for free
Research assistance from Jeff Williams