Inaugural Physico-Medical Dissertation on the Magnetism of the Macrocosm and Microcosm

§. 2. The first part suggests three members primarily to be examined, of which (1.) concerns etymology. That Magnetismus magnetism receives its birth from Greece and indeed from the word μάγος magus/wizard (which, according to Screvelius, that most celebrated philologist and physician, is derived from μαγγάνω to deceive/bewitch and denotes, as it were, a deceitful stone) is known even to beginners in the language. So that from this, even by light conjecture, and that sufficiently probable, one may collect that ancient philosophers intended nothing else by magnetism than that deceitful attractive action of the Magnet, the deceitful stone, which often eludes, nay, flees the most sagacious minds of philosophers. Since this is sufficiently and more than sufficiently evident from a diligent inspection of the language, names ending in ισμὸς ism do not so much denote the subject or substance (unless in a concrete sense) as rather some action proceeding from it itself, or a mode of action, the movement and state of the substance. To confirm these words, I would wish to weigh some names, such as μυκτηρισμός mockery, σχηματισμός delineation, πριαπισμός persistent and painful erection of the penis, etc.

§. 3. Who does not grasp the difference between Magnet, Magnetism, Magnetic, and Magnetically at the very first glance? For this the magnetic mode denotes the mode of magnetic action, or sometimes the principle itself; that magnetism denotes the aforementioned action itself, either of the Magnet or (analogically) of any body acting in the same way; the other magnetic denotes some subject or natural body acting according to the aforementioned principle and mode. From this source flows the sense of the formulas solemn in Physics and Medicine: Magnet, magnetic body, to act magnetically, magnetic virtue and action, etc.

§. 4. The [2.] member of Onomatology treats synonymy. This is very varied, for to some Magnetism is called Sympathia sympathy, but too ἀκυρολόγως improperly and inadequately, since not every magnetism is sympathetic, nor every sympathy magnetic, but rather every magnetism presupposes one or the other