1527 Quotes

“Better still [than pure sugar] was the remedy known as theriac, the root of the English word 'treacle,' which was kept in ornate ceramic jars on the shelves of every self-respecting apothecary shop. The name comes from the Greek therion, meaning 'venomous animal,' for theriac was supposed in Classical times to counteract all venoms and poisons.”
― Philip Ball, The Devil's Doctor: Paracelsus and the World of Renaissance Magic and Science

“We watch Paracelsus in Basle as though seeing a man run headlong toward a precipice. Like an indestructible lunatic, he will do so again and again throughout his life.”
― Philip Ball, The Devil's Doctor: Paracelsus and the World of Renaissance Magic and Science