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THE AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY. 
SOME FAMOUS ALCHEMISTS. 
Raymond Lully is a famous name in the history of alchemy. He is the first 
who mentions spirit-of-wine, terming it aqua vita ardens and argentum vivum 
vegetabile . He employed mercury in medicine, and is said to have visited 
England, and to have made gold and silver for the King. 
Basil Valentine is another great name in the science. He wrote in the 
fifteenth century. He was of opinion that the metals are compounds of salt, 
sulphur, and mercury. The philosopher’s stone he held to be composed of the 
same ingredients. He affirmed that there existed a great similarity between the 
mode of purifying gold and curing the diseases of men, and that antimony was 
best for both. 
There is an order relating to alchemy of Edward III., made in 1329, which 
goes as follows “ Know, all men, that we have been assured that John, of Rous, 
and Master William, of Dalby, know how to make silver by the art of alchemy ; 
that they have made it in former times, and still continue to make it; and, 
considering that these men, by their art, and by making the precious metals, 
may be profitable to us and to our kingdom, we have commanded our well- 
beloved Thomas Carey to apprehend the aforesaid John and William, wherever 
they can be found, within liberties or without, and bring them to us, together 
with all the instruments of their art, under safe and sure custody.” 
Henry VI. prevailed upon Parliament to grant protection to the “three 
famous men, John Fauceby, John Kirkeby, and John Rayney,” which was 
affirmed 31st May, 1456. The object of the researches of these philosophers was 
described to be “ at certain, much precious medicine, called by some the 
mother and queen of medicines ; by some the inestimable glory ; by others the 
philosopher’s stone ; by others the elixir of life ; which cures all curable 
diseases with ease, prolongs human life in perfect health and vigour of faculty 
to its utmost term, heals all healable wounds, is the most sovereign antidote 
against all poisons, and is capable of preserving to us and to our kingdom other 
great advantages, such as the transmutation of other metals into real and fine 
silver and gold.” 
It does not seem to be known whether “ our beloved Thomas Carey” 
succeeded in catching the first two philosophers, nor whether the last three 
succeeded in their expectations ; but the transactions show that our ancestors 
were fully alive to the profit of encouraging scientific research. 
Fifty years prior to the date of the above-mentioned patent, Parliament had 
prohibited the manufacture of gold and silver, as possibly tending to make a 
subject more powerful than the King. 
One of the most extraordinary names in the history of alchemy is that of 
Theophrastus Bombast von Hohenheim ; better known by the name he gave 
himself, Paracelsus, in the sixteenth century. This personage was a strange 
mixture of quack scientific man and religious mystic. He is credited with 
bringing about a revolution in the study and practice of medicine. Before this 
time the study of medicine consisted in little besides getting up the works of all 
Arabic physicians like Avicenna and Rhazez, instead of going to Nature herself. 
Paracelsus was the first to set the contrary example. He did good service 
in putting the medical profession on the track of cleanly and effective drugs. 
In his time, and even for long after, the medical efficacy of a drug seems to 
have been calculated to be in proportion to its filthiness. The nastier the dose 
the more efficacious it was supposed to be. A favourite medicine in the Middle 
Ages was what was called “ Mummy ;” that is, Egyptian mummies ground to 
powder. It has been calculated that tons of this medicament, made of the 
