Toxicology in the Middle Ages and Renaissance

194 Pages·2017·3.227 MB·English

by  Philip Wexler (editor)

Toxicology in the Middle
Ages and Renaissance
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Toxicology in the Middle
Ages and Renaissance
Edited by
Philip Wexler
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CONTENTS
List of Contributors.............................................................................xi
Preface..............................................................................................xiii
Acknowledgments................................................................................xv
About the Editor................................................................................xvii
Chapter 1 Poison and Its Dose: Paracelsus on Toxicology....................1
UrsLeo Gantenbein
1.1 The Four Pillars of Medicine........................................................1
1.2 Poison and the Alchemist in the Stomach....................................3
1.3 Noxious Mineral Vapors and the Miner’s Disease.......................6
1.4 The Dose Makes the Poison.........................................................8
References...........................................................................................10
Chapter 2 The Golden Age of Medieval Islamic Toxicology...............11
Mozhgan M. Ardestani,Roja Rahimi,Mohammad
M.Esfahani, Omar Habbal andMohammad Abdollahi
2.1 Introduction................................................................................11
2.2 Prominent Toxicologists in Medieval Islamic Era......................12
2.3 Toxicologists after 1500 AD.......................................................23
2.4 Discussion...................................................................................28
Acknowledgment................................................................................29
References...........................................................................................29
Chapter 3 Maimonides’ Book on Poisons and the Protection
Against Lethal Drugs.........................................................31
Gabriele Ferrario
3.1 Maimonides................................................................................31
3.2 Maimonides Medical Works and Medical Practice....................32
3.3 The Treatise on Poisons and the Protection Against
Lethal Drugs...............................................................................34
3.4 Structure and Contents of On Poisons........................................37
3.5 The Hebrew Translations and Their Circulation........................39
3.6 The Latin Translations and Their Circulation............................40
References...........................................................................................41
viii Contents
Chapter 4 Pietro d’Abano, De venenis: Reintroducing
Greek Toxicology into Late Medieval Medicine.................43
Alain Touwaide
Further Readings................................................................................52
Chapter 5 The Case Against the Borgias: Motive,
Opportunity, and Means....................................................53
CathyCobb
5.1 Introduction................................................................................53
5.2 Accusations.................................................................................54
5.3 Motive........................................................................................54
5.4 Opportunity................................................................................55
5.5 Means.........................................................................................55
References...........................................................................................59
Chapter 6 Aqua Tofana......................................................................63
Mike Dash
6.1 History........................................................................................63
6.2 Symptoms...................................................................................65
6.3 Poisons and the Criminal Magical Underworld.........................65
6.4 The Slow Poisons........................................................................67
References...........................................................................................69
Chapter 7 Poisons and the Prince: Toxicology and Statecraft
at the Medici Grand Ducal Court......................................71
Sheila Barker
7.1 Poisons in 16th-Century Society.................................................71
7.2 Knowledge of Poisons at the Medici Court................................74
7.3 Medici Antidotes........................................................................75
7.4 Testing Poisons...........................................................................78
7.5 Resources....................................................................................81
References...........................................................................................81
Chapter 8 Georgius Agricola, a Pioneer in the Toxic Hazards
of Mining, and His Influence..............................................83
SverreLangård
8.1 Education and Early Life...........................................................83
8.2 De re Metallica...........................................................................85
Contents ix
8.3 Diseases in Miners and Their Prevention...................................86
8.4 Bergsucht and Its Causes............................................................87
8.5 A Third Wave of Mining in the 20th Century............................88
Conflict of Interest..............................................................................90
References...........................................................................................90
Chapter 9 Jan Baptist Van Helmont and the Medical(cid:1)Alchemical
Perspectives of Poison........................................................91
Georgiana D. Hedesan
9.1 Van Helmont’s Paracelsian Legacy on Poisons..........................91
9.2 Universal Poison in a Christian Perspective...............................93
9.3 Van Helmont’s Criticism of Galenic Purgatives.........................95
9.4 The Alchemical Solution............................................................98
9.5 Conclusions................................................................................99
References.........................................................................................100
Chapter 10 Origin of Myths Related to Curative, Antidotal
and Other Medicinal Properties of Animal “Horns”
in the Middle Ages.........................................................101
Chris Lavers
10.1 A Brief History of Alicorn......................................................101
10.2 Origins....................................................................................102
10.3 Unicorns of the Arab World...................................................103
10.4 Khutu.....................................................................................105
10.5 The Walrus and the Narwhal.................................................107
10.6 The Woolly Rhinoceros and Mammoth.................................109
10.7 Bone from the Forehead of a Bull..........................................110
10.8 Conclusion..............................................................................112
Disclaimer.........................................................................................113
References.........................................................................................113
Chapter 11 Animal Stones and the Dark Age of Bezoars..................115
Maria doSameiro Barroso
11.1 Introduction............................................................................115
11.2 Bezoars: Philological, Conceptual, and
Symbolic Framework..............................................................115
11.3 Bezoars and Their Glory........................................................117
11.4 Bezoars in the Mist of History................................................118
11.5 Conclusion..............................................................................122