Toxicology in the Middle Ages and Renaissance (History of Toxicology and Environmental Health)

__Toxicology in the Middle Ages and Renaissance__ provides an authoritative and fascinating exploration into the use of toxins and poisons in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Part of the __History of Toxicology and Environmental Health__ series, this volume is a follow-up, chronologically, to the first two volumes which explored toxicology in antiquity. The book approximately covers the 1100s through the 1600s, delving into different aspects of toxicology, such as the contributions of scientific scholars of the time, sensational poisoners and poisoning cases, as well as myths. Historical figures, such as the Borgias and Catherine de Medici are discussed. Toxicologists, students, medical researchers, and those interested in the history of science will find insightful and relevant material in this volume. Toxicology in the Middle Ages and Renaissance provides an authoritative and fascinating exploration into the use of toxins and poisons in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Part of the History of Toxicology and Environmental Health series, this volume is a follow-up, chronologically, to the first two volumes which explored toxicology in antiquity. The book approximately covers the 1100s through the 1600s, delving into different aspects of toxicology, such as the contributions of scientific scholars of the time, sensational poisoners and poisoning cases, as well as myths. Historical figures, such as the Borgias and Catherine de Medici are discussed. Toxicologists, students, medical researchers, and those interested in the history of science will find insightful and relevant material in this volume. Provides the historical background for understanding modern toxicology Illustrates the ways previous civilizations learned to distinguish safe from hazardous substances, how to avoid them, and how to use them against enemies Explores the way famous historical figures used toxins 1. Poison and Its Dose: Paracelsus on Toxicology 2. The Golden Age of Medieval Islamic Toxicology 3. Maimonides' Book on Poisons and the Protection Against Lethal Drugs 4. Pietro d'Abano, De venenis: Reintroducing Greek Toxicology into Late Medieval Medicine 5. The Case Against the Borgias: Motive, Opportunity, and Means 6. Aqua Tofana 7. Poisons and the Prince: Toxicology and Statecraft at the Medici Grand Ducal Court 8. Georgius Agricola, a Pioneer in the Toxic Hazards of Mining, and His Influence 9. Jan Baptist Van Helmont and the Medical-Alchemical Perspectives of Poison 10. Origin of Myths Related to Curative, Antidotal and Other Medicinal Properties of Animal "Horns" in the Middle Ages 11. Animal Stones and the Dark Age of Bezoars 12. Fossil Sharks' Teeth as Alexipharmics 13. Catherine La Voisin: Poisons and Magic at the Royal Court of Louis XIV 14. A Late Medieval Criminal Prosecution for Poisoning: The Failed Murder Trial of Margarida de Portu (1396) 15. Animal Venoms in the Middle Ages 16. Medical Literature on Poison, c. 1300-1600 This chapter discusses Jan Baptist Van Helmont's (1579-1644) views on poison in light of his medical alchemy. First, it argues that his approach was fundamentally influenced by the theories of 'universal poison' and 'potent poison' developed by Theophrastus von Hohenheim, called Paracelsus (1493-1541). Paracelsus's ideas supported Van Helmont's own views that medical alchemy was the only key to curing all diseases and poisons. At the same time, Van Helmont sought to set these concepts more clearly in a Christian framework, and also used them to launch a scathing attack on Galenic medicine and practices. Moreover, Van Helmont used poison theory to advance his belief in the existence of a universal solvent Alkahest that could extract medical essences out of any being. The Alkahest could then be used to construct an all-powerful universal medicine that proved God's special providence to mankind Edited By Philip Wexler. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.