Early Laboratory Chemistry = Alchemy

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Early Laboratory Chemistry Alchemy

• Concerned with the composition, form, and
  properties of material substances
• Alchemists study material substances in a way
  that combines a theoretical outlook with
  experimental curiosity
• Both philosophical and spiritual approach

Sorcerer's Apprentice
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Alchemical Tradition

• Incorporated Aristotles four elements and
  qualities
• In which the four elements are distinguishable
  from one another by their "qualities"
• Material transmutation quality changes in
  matter
• Therefore
• any substance should be capable of being changed
  into any other
• Emphasis on degrees of purity/nobility
• Gold most pure and noble
• Maturation of minerals in ground

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Alchemical Traditions

• Egyptian alchemy 5000 BCE 400 BCE
• Greek alchemy 332 BCE 642 CE
• Chinese alchemy 142 CE
• Indian alchemy 200 CE Present
• Islamic alchemy 700 1400 CE - introduction
  experimental method and theories on philosopher's
  stone and creation of life
• Islamic chemistry II 800 CE ? - Avicenna
• European alchemy 1300 CE ? Newton, Thomas
  Aquinas, Paracelsus, Van Helmont (purpose is
  treatment of disease disciple of Paracelsus)

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Transmutation as goal of Alchemy(health -
longevity immortality- spiritual - wealth)

• Goals/objectives of alchemy
• Physiological
• universal remedy - the appropriate combination
  of ingredients that would cure all illness and
  diseases
• elixir of life - the secret potion that would
  prolong life, i.e. allow one to "live forever"
• transcend Earthly world - achieve a higher
  spiritual state
• Chemical
• To convert (transmute) "base metals" (e.g.,
  lead into gold)

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Hellenistic Alchemy

• 42 books 300 BC - 100 AD combined
  mythological wisdom and attributes attributed to
  the Egyptian god Thoth and the Greek god Hermes
• Influenced development of Western occultism and
  magic
• Transmutation of base metals to gold
• Spiritual Purification

Hermes Trigmegistus
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Eastern/Chinese Alchemy

• Independent of (and prior to?) Western alchemy
• Gold is eternal and healing, led to medical
  alchemy
• Search for the Elixir of Life
• Soluble potable gold (400 BC) a potion for
  eternal life

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Indian Alchemy

• Mineral remedies for specific diseases
• Promote long life (not immortality)

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Arab/Islamic Alchemy

• Retained Hermetic tradition including two-fold
  approach of making gold as well as reveling a way
  of giving enlightenment to the soul
• Arabic alchemists add mercury and sulfur
• Used al-iksurs (colored seed catalysts) in
  transmutation attempts
• Arabic alchemists philosophers stone to
  stimulate transmutation
• Combustible principle phlogiston theory

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Importance of Medicine

• Problems crowded, unsanitary, infested homes
  contaminated food/water low life expectancy
• Physicians in medieval Europe
• - Most followed ideas of Hippocrates
  (460- 370 BC) and Galen (129-200 AD)
• - Disease imbalance in 4 body humours
• Inorganic substances and alcohol could fight
  infection, but not favored by Galenists

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Ibn-Sina/Avicenna ( 980-1037)Foremost physician
and Islamic philosopher of his time

• Introduced systematic experimentation and
  quantification into study of physiology
• discovered contagious nature of infectious
  diseases - introduction of quarantine to limit
  their spread
• Noted the influence of climate and environment on
  health
• Wrote - The Canon of Medicine standard medical
  text at many Islamic and European universities up
  until the early 19th century

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Paracelsus (1493 1541)

• Introduced the concept of disease to medicine
• Rejected idea that disease is due to imbalance in
  the body (Galen)
• Maintained disease caused by agents outside of
  the body
• Recommended various chemicals to fight disease
• Founded Iatrochemistry (Alchemy for medicinal
  purposes)
• Iatrochemists legacy legitimacy of chemistry

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Paracelsus idea of elements and principles

• Three Elements (Fire, Air, Water) and Three
  Principles of Earth (sulfur, mercury, and salt)
• Wood burning That which burns is sulfur, that
  which vaporizes is mercury, and that which turns
  to ashes is salt

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Gold ? Elixirs ? Immortality ? Superior
Medicines
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Accomplishments of Alchemy

• Laboratory apparatus
• Practical chemical knowledge, techniques, and
  reactions despite incorrect theories
• Quantitative methods
• New substances