The Archidoxes and Medico-Chemical Works of Paracelsus

The quintessence of gold is small and meager.

No disease is driven out without the quintessence.

The quintessence: its power and praise.

The color of the quintessence is yellowish.

We further testify that the quintessence of gold exists in a minimum quantity, for what remains of it is the leprous body, in which no sweetness, no acidity, no virtue, and no power remains, besides the mixture of the four elements. And this secret should by no means remain hidden from us: namely, that the elements themselves, without the quintessence, can resist no disease, but accomplish this alone and nothing else—that they heat or cool without any power, just as if a disease were hot, it is driven out by coldness, but not by that which is destitute of powers, like water and snow, which, although they are cold enough, yet the quintessence is not held in them, by the powers of which the disease could be driven out. Therefore, the body of gold is invalid by itself, but its quintessence alone, existing in it, offers the powers common to it to the body and its elements. Thus also in all other things, the essence alone is their quintessence, which cures, heals, and tinges the whole body, as salt seasons some food perfectly. The quintessence is therefore that which exhibits color, as it is virtue; and after gold is deprived of its color, it lacks the quintessence at the same time. The same must be understood regarding other metals: that when their color is taken away, they are deprived of their nature.

Similarly, in stones and gems, as the quintessence of corals is a certain fatness with redness, and their body is white. Likewise, the quintessence of emeralds is a green juice, and their body is also white. It must be judged no differently of all other stones, namely, that they lose their nature, essence, and properties along with their colors, as we teach particularly in our extractions of them.

Similarity of the quintessence, as it is extracted from flesh.

To whom life is in the flesh.

Metals always live, and for that reason provide these quintessences.

The same must be understood about herbs, plants, and other growing products. The same is true of flesh and blood, from which no quintessence can be elicited for the reasons given before. But nevertheless, some similarity to the quintessence can be extracted by us in this way: A piece of flesh still has life in itself, because it is flesh, still instructed with all its nature and powers. Therefore, there is life in it, which, although it is not true life, is nonetheless preserved life, as long as it does not putrefy. For this reason, this distinction must be noted: by which, indeed, dry herbs and similar things are to be held in the place of flesh. For that green spirit—that is, life—has perished from them. Therefore, dead things can be taken to a dead quintessence, just as flesh can emit all its virtues from itself, segregated particularly into one part from its body; so also blood and dry herbs. Which indeed, even if they are not living quintessences, nonetheless demonstrate how a dead quintessence exerts some virtues. Metals, however, and also stones, have perpetual life and essence in themselves and do not die, but as long as they are metals or stones, their life lasts that long.