Manual

Of Philippus Theophrastus

Paracelsus, the most famous and

divinely taught Philosopher,

Doctor of Medicine. Concerning the

Medicinal Philosophers’ Stoneoriginal Latin: "De Lapide Philosophico Medicinali." The Philosophers' Stone was the ultimate goal of alchemy, believed to be a substance that could transmute base metals into gold and provide an elixir of life or a "universal medicine.".

Preface.

Decorative drop cap 'L' featuring intricate floral scrollwork and foliage within a rectangular frame.

The spirit of
Medicine,
through whom
God began
perfectly.
original Latin: "Spiritum Medicinæ per quos perfecte Deus inceperit."

Reader, because God has fundamentally begun to allow the spirit of medicine to work through Machaon, Podalirius, Apollo, and Hippocrates Machaon and Podalirius were legendary healers from the Trojan War; Apollo was the Greek god of healing; and Hippocrates is often called the "Father of Medicine." Paracelsus is establishing a lineage for his medical philosophy., so that the true medicine might appear and break forth as if through a cloud (in which it could not yet be quite properly recognized), and would be partly revealed to mankind. So He has also [permitted] the light to the spirit of darkness

Spirit of
darkness
original Latin: "Spiritus tenebrarū"