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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

[Carl Gustav Jung's Theatrum Mundi. Can the description of modern alchemy in Jung's Psychologie und Alchemie be really regarded as a historical reconstruction?].

In his work, Psychologie und Alchemie, published in 1944, Jung wanted to present a reconstruction of alchemy. In order to do this he used a method of psychology, which he modified and enriched with inspirations drawn from neo-romantically-oriented German medical historiographies of the nineteen thirties. Using historical materials, he intended to demonstrate the empirical character of his Depth Psychology, a widespread concept, ingrained in our supra-personal social unconscious. The present article questions the nature of Jung's reconstruction of alchemy as historical reconstruction. The author presents the methodological bases referred to by Jung derived from his concept of medical practice and compares them with a manner of thinking typical of contemporary historical analysis. The article also presents Jung's inspirations from the medical historiography of his time, as well as the dissimilarity of his concept with the model of historical narrative construction in force in the historiography of the thirties and forties. At the same time, it presents the elements of the "romantic inheritance" in Jung's thought, drawn from the tradition of German non-materialistic medicine of the first half of the nineteenth century.

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PubMed2002

Ordering energies and occupancies in doped TiAl, and dedicated ALCHEMI instrumentation.

Alloy design has been a lifelong interest of Gareth Thomas, and modern design algorithms include atomistic parameters which are obtainable from new electron microscope techniques such as ALCHEMI. In this paper, we discuss the relevance of ALCHEMI site occupancy measurements to intermetallic alloys, and summarize prior work. The results are found to lie in regions of a site-occupancy diagram (SOC) relating ordering energies to occupancy, as predicted by the Bragg-Williams theory of short-range order. These predictions also explain previous inconsistencies in the ALCHEMI measurements. A diffraction camera and X-ray detector system of novel design is proposed for dedicated ALCHEMI analysis for substitutional and interstitial dopant site-occupancy measurement, and details of the design given. Using this novel hardware design, the data-collection times for two-dimensional ALCHEMI patterns should be reduced by an order of magnitude or more, and the full data collection process automated. The resulting occupancy information can provide essential input parameters for atomistic alloy design algorithms, and can provide entirely new information on interstitial occupancies in minerals, ceramics, semiconductors, and alloys.

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PubMed1979

A comparative study of greek and chinese alchemy.

According to an herbal cult of immortality in China, about 200 B.C., certain plants could make man immortal. Greek alchemy, the earliest record of which dated about 200 A.D., presents a similar version, was originally Chinese and was introduced by the Arabs who brought herbal drugs of longevity to Alexandria. The name of these drugs, Chin-I, dialectal Kim-Iya, was Arabicized as Kimiya and transliterated Chemeia by the Copts. Other terms were later influenced by Indians (Chumeia, 100 A.D.) and more directly by the Chinese (Chrusozomion, 200 A.D.). The 3 terms signify herbal elixirs of gold and the art related to them. Both early Chinese and Greek alchemies were not concerned with the making of bullion gold. In China the development of alchemy has been ruled by two theories: first, as like makes like, a perennial plant can make human life perennial: likewise, certain substances can prolong human life as they are rich in Life-force or Soul-content. From here, Blood was equated to Soul and later Redness to Soul. Jade, Cinnabar and eventually gold, more precisely Red-gold or Cinnabar-gold, a colloidal gold, became the ideal drug of immortality. Finally, alchemy can be defined as the art of making metal colloids as panaceae.

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PubMed1998

Alchemy vs. chemistry: the etymological origins of a historiographic mistake.

The parallel usage of the two terms "alchemy" and "chemistry" by seventeenth-century writers has engendered considerable confusion among historians of science. Many historians have succumbed to the temptation of assuming that the early modern term "chemistry" referred to something like the modern discipline, while supposing that "alchemy" pertained to a different set of practices and beliefs, predominantly the art of transmuting base metals into gold. This paper provides the first exhaustive analysis of the two terms and their interlinguistic cognates in the seventeenth century. It demonstrates that the intentional partition of the two terms with the restriction of alchemy to the sense of metallic transmutation was not widely accepted until the end of the seventeenth century, if even then. The major figure in the restriction of meaning, Nicholas Lemery, built on a spurious interpretation of the Arabic definite article al, which he inherited from earlier sources in the chemical textbook tradition. In order to curtail the tradition of anachronism and distortion engendered by the selective use of the terms "alchemy" and "chemistry" by historians, the authors conclude by suggesting a return to seventeenth-century terminology for discussing the different aspects of the early modern discipline "chymistry."

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PubMed1993

A brief history of Indian alchemy covering pre-Vedic to Vedic and Ayurvedic period (circa 400 B.C.-800 A.D.).

History of Indian alchemy can be traced to pre-Vedic period. The archaeological excavations at Mohenjodaro and Harappa in the Indus valley have brought to light that, the people in ancient India were possessing chemical knowledge as early as in the pre-historic period. In Vedic period single herbs were prescribed. Minerals and animal substances were also prescribed but no compound preparations were in use. Alchemy in India, was started for the preparation of an elixir of life for imparting immortality and later for the transmutation process for converting base metals into gold. Indian alchemy derived its colour and flavour to a large extent from the Tantric cult. Then, during the iatro-chemical period all the previous accumulated alchemical ideas were put into something more practical and tangible. a number of preparations of mercury and other metals were evolved as helpful accessories in medicine. Here a bried history of this Indian alchemy is presented which will give an idea about the development of chemical knowledge in India in its multiple aspects.

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PubMed1999

European alchemy: some traditional beliefs.

Three important doctrines of European alchemy are discussed: the Emerald Table of Hermes, the idea of transmutation, and the Elixir of Life. The analysis of these problems is focused on the 16th century, the epoch of the high flourish of alchemy in Renaissance Europe. As typical examples two works are chosen: the treatises of Jean-Pierre Fabre (1588-1658) and Alexander von Suchten (? 1520 - ? 1590). The arguments of these authors illustrate the ways how alchemists tried to defend their position in face of repeated failures. Just the 16th century stood in the sign of dramatic development of crafts, but, simultaneously, of growing interest in alchemy.

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PubMed1984

Outline of the beginnings of alchemy and its antecedents.

There had been a long use of Simples as drugs of longevity. Among these red substances predominated, red ochre and cinnabar as minerals, ephedra bearing red berries and pomegranate and peach as vegetable products. In China herbalism became a cult of longevity with its legendary founder as Emperor Shen Nung and with the god of longevity finally emerging from the peach as Shou-Sing. To excell simple drugs of longevity the first synthetic drug was prepared as brick red colloidal gold. It was called Chin-I. Gold-cum-herbal juice. Dialectally it was pronounced Kim-Iya, whence Alkimiya in Arabic, and finally alchemy. Chin-I was Herbo-golden drug and also gold-making-juice, a miraculous substance. But it was not blood-red. Now came Chin-Tan, Cinnabar-gold, red like blood. Its redness equalled blood and as such was soul, gold as its acceptor had an everlasting body. Chin-Tan was designed as the ideal drug of longevity. Alchemy started by making red gold but degenerated, trying to make bullion gold.

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PubMed1984

Tan, cinnabar, as drug of longevity prior to alchemy.

Alchemy as the art of gold making never existing and had no beginning. It arose as the cult of longevity using simples, like gold and cinnabar, as drugs of longevity. It became alchemy on making the first synthetic drug, Chin-Yeh, Gold-plus-herbal juice, and reached its ideal with Chin-Tan, Gold-plus-cinnabar. The former was red colloidal gold, the latter vermilion with traces of gold. As inscribed character Tan shows crude cinnabar, pulverized, lavagated and filtered on a rectangular piece of cloth.

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PubMed1988

Alchemy, Chinese versus Greek, an etymological approach: a rejoinder.

The theory generally accepted maintains that Alchemy arose at Alexandria as a child of Greek culture. It has two names, Chemeia as the earlier and Chumeia as the later. There is another theory that Alchemy arose in China. Its founder was the aged ascetic who longed after drugs of longevity. He first tried jade, next gold and cinnabar, but the ideal was a drug which was red like cinnabar and fire-proof like gold. But what was actually prepared was red colloidal gold or "calcined gold," by grinding gold granules in a decoction of an herb of longevity. It was called Chin-I; Chin = gold and I = plant juice. In Fukin dialect Chin-I = Kim-Iya. This was Arabicized, by pre-Islamic Arabs trading in silk with China, as Kimiya, whence arose Al-Kimiya and finally Al-chemy. It was first accepted by Bucharic speaking Copts in Egypt who transliterated Kimiya = Chemeia, pronouncing it as the Arabs did. With the increase of trade in silk the Chinese also went to Alexandria and helped the Greeks to translate Chin-I as Chrusozomion meaning, gold (making) ferment, instead of gold making plant juice. Consistent with this origin of the word Chemeia is the fact that the earlier Alchemists were not Greeks but probably Bucharic speaks Copts or Egyptians. The consumer of Chin-I or Chemeia became "a drug-made immortal" called Chin-Jen, Golden-Man. This was translated into Greek as Chrusanthropos. Thus the etymoloogy of two Greek words Chrusozomion and Chrusanthropos support the origin of the loan word, Chemeia as Chinese. To save space it is not proposed to discuss the origin of Chumeia.

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PubMed1996

Alchemy, homeopathy and the treatment of borderline cases.

Homeopathy is presented as a modality of potential usefulness in the treatment of borderline patients refractory to psychoanalytic work. In these instances a minimally adequate centre of consciousness did not solidify from the identity with the psychoid stratum. In the view of Alchemy, this failure of the mind to separate from the unio naturalis or massa confusa could be remedied by a medicamentum spagyricum, an archtypal essence acting according to the simile principle, which was to be extracted from various substances. Homeopathy is described as a modern, clinically effective modification of the alchemistic method. Two cases example are given for illustration.

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PubMedDate not supplied

Chinese alchemy: confluence and transformation.

The study of China's alchemical tradition can provide considerable insight into early Chinese medical theory, pharmaco-therapeutic practice and psychosomatic concepts. Chinese alchemy is a complex blending of philosophical, cosmological, physiological and natural scientific thought. This article presents a historical survey and analysis of some important aspects of Chinese alchemical research and theory.

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PubMed1989

Comparing Yin-Yang, the Chinese symbol of creation, with Ouroboros of Greek alchemy.

The universe was early divided into Earth below and Heaven above. These, two as one, gave the idea of opposites but forming a unity. Each opposite was assumed to be powerful and so was their final unity. For creation of the universe they projected reproduction to conceive creation. Now reproduction results in the union of two opposites as male and female. Correspondingly, the Chinese believed Light and Darkness, as the ideal opposites, when united, yielded creative energy. The two opposites were further conceived as matter and energy which became dual-natured but as one. The two opposites were yin-yang and their unity was called Chhi. Yin-Yang was treated separately in Chinese cosmology which consisted of five cosmic elements. Since Chinese alchemy did reach Alexandria probably the symbol Yin-Yang, as dual-natured, responsible for creation, was transformed into a symbol called Ouroboros. It is a snake and as such as symbol of soul. Its head and anterior portion is red, being the colour of blood as soul; its tail and posterior half is dark, representing body. Ouroboros here is depicted white and black, as soul and body, the two as "one which is all." It is cosmic soul, the source of all creation. Ouroboros is normally depicted with its anterior half as black but it should be the reverse as shown here. With the name Chemeia taken to Kim-Iya, the last word would take Ouroboros to Yin-Yang.

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PubMed2002

Reasonable magic and the nature of alchemy: Jewish reflections on human embryonic stem cell research.

The controversy about research on human embryonic stem cells both divides and defines us, raising fundamental ethical and religious questions about the nature of the self and the limits of science. This article uses Jewish sources to articulate fundamental concerns about the forbiddenness of knowledge in general and of knowledge thought of as magical creation. Alchemy, and the turning of elements into gold and into substances for longevity, and magic used for the creation of living beings was at stake in various Talmudic texts. Since contemporary discourse calls regenerative science magical, and makes claims about its restorative power, careful reflection on when magic is forbidden and when it is responsible allows a novel understanding of ethical questions in stem cell research.

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PubMed1995

Medical aspects of the late European alchemy.

Medical trends in European alchemy are discussed. There existed a direction that in curing illnesses made use of various substances known to alchemists. The origin can be traced back to the 14th century and further development of this trend has later led to iatrochemistry. Beside this, there existed all the time the second direction called alchemical medicine. It searched for miraculous universal medicine using for this purpose approaches known from attempts in metal transmutation. Several examples of the confused world of alchemical medicine are brought.

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PubMed1996

A brief history of Indian alchemy covering transitional and tantric periods (circa 800 A.D.-1300 A.D.).

A brief history of Indian alchemy covering the pre-vedic, vedic and Ayurvedic periods (Circa 4000 B.C. to 800 A.D.) was given in one of the previous issues of this Bulletin, i.e. Volume 23, NO.2, July, 1993, pp. 151-166. In continuation of the same, this article is presented here, giving an account of the development of the chemical knowledge in India during transitional and tantric periods (circa 800 A.D. to 1300 A.D.).

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PubMed1997

[The golden panacea. Alchemy and distillation in the court of Philip II (1527-1598)].

This study analyzes the relationships between Philip II and the two main goals of Alchemy: obtaining or forging alchemical gold, and preparing chemical drugs, liquors and perfumes. The first part of the study shows that throughout his reign Philip II maintained contacts with alchemists of several nationalities (Flemish, German, Italian, English and Spanish) in the Low Countries and Spain who were determined to obtain gold and silver. Their activities were overseen by high-level bureaucrats. Despite the disapproval of the Church and intense repression by the Holy Office, the alchemists had no difficulties during his reign, although their situation changed markedly after his death. In relation with distillation, Philip II ordered stills to be installed in all his gardens in Madrid, Aranjuez and the Escorial. He hired a corps of Flemish distillers who worked at all three sites in the preparation of chemical drugs, liquors and perfumes for the royal household. Their activities, and records conserved at the library of the Escorial, bear witness to a new route for the introduction of Paracelsism in Spain. Philip II organized the distillers' activities and brought them under the oversight of his apothecaries and protophysicians. The distillers' activities were later regulated by the by-laws fo the Royal Apothecary, inaugurated in 1594.

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PubMedDate not supplied

[Cartesian dualism or alchemy of medical routine practice].

Whereas alchemy postulated the unity of body and soul as early as in the 15th century, René Descartes developed an artificial separation of the body from the soul in the 17th century, a challenge that today's doctors continue to face. This problematic nature of dualism seems to be suitable for complicating the doctor's relationship with patients of different age groups. With the help of a screening technique and a semi-standardized interview 100 patients (25 women with RA aged > 65; 25 women with RA aged < 55; 25 women aged < 65 without RA and 25 women aged < 55 without RA) were examined with regard to their basic needs in the relationships with their doctor. The patients older than 65 showed characteristic psychophysical particularities and, as compared with patients younger than 55, 86% of them articulated the needs for security as primary need in the relationship with their doctor. Seventy-six percent of the younger patients articulated the need for passing on of information as primary need. To understand the world of the elderly means the handling of pseudo-morbidity, reduced capability, social death and disease as normality, means the acceptance of the need for a mainly emotional doctor-patient relationship. From the results efficient psycho-therapeutical findings can be recommended for the doctor's practical work with regard to "pitfalls," as well as for use as the basis for talks and for a method to use in dealing with elderly people.

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