APPENDIX 303 



burns away, and the alcahest remains in the dish. It 

 is an excellent medicine, and is used in the same manner 

 as the Primum Ens Melissce" ^ On account of the sreat 

 powers contained in the limestone, Paracelsus says that 

 "many a man kicks away with his foot a stone that 

 would be more valuable to him than his best cow, if he 

 only knew what great mysteries were put into it by G-od 

 by means of the spirit of Nature." ^ 



Zenexton 



One of the greatest sympathetic remedies of Para- 

 celsus, for the possession of which he was envied a great 

 deal, and the preparation of which he kept very secret, 

 was his Zenexton. His disciple, Oswald SroU, in his 

 "Basilica Cheiuica," pp. 210-213, describes its prepara- 

 tion as follows : — 



" Make an instrument of good steel, by which you 

 may cut some small tablets of the size of a penny, and 

 whose composition will be given below. The instru- 

 ment consists of two discs, which can be connected 

 together by a middle piece in the shape of a ring, form- 

 ing a hollow space between the two discs, and the latter 

 are provided with handles. Upon the inner side of one 

 disc is engraved a snake, and the inner side of the other 

 represents a scorpion, so that the substance which is to 



* We give these and the following prescriptions as curiosities, for what 

 they are worth. They contain great truths, but only those who know 

 will be able to understand and to prepare them. Those who go to the 

 apothecary's shop to get these remedies prepared will be disappointed. 



^ The alchemistical writings of Paracelsus are as obscure for the un- 

 initiated as those of any other alchemist, but to the initiated they are 

 plain enough. He gives, however, many plain directions in regard to 

 the treatment of special diseases, and which can easily be followed out 

 The reason why the doctrines of Paracelsus are not more extensively 

 followed out by modern physicians is, that his system is, unfortunately, 

 little known, and still less understood. The time will Come when the 

 resurrected doctrines of Paracelsus will create again a revolution in medical 

 ficience, as the man Paracelsus did three hundred years ago. 



