Paracelsus

Paracelsus, pseudonym of Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim. He was born on December 17th, 1493. Swiss-German physician, alchemist, physicist, astrologer, and occultist. He is also credited with creating the name of the element zinc, calling it zincum. Paracelsus appears among scientists and reformers like Andreas Vesalius, Nicolau Copérnico and Georgius Agricola, and, therefore, seen as a “modern”. On the other hand, he always possessed an aura of mysticism and even the dark reputation of a wizard. He treated syphilis with mercury.