ABOUT BOOK

A case in point is Paracelsus’s view of poisons, which have a richness that ~has not been captured in previous scholarship. Most scholars only touched ~on the subject of poison and did not fully reflect on the complexity of its ~meaning. Consequently, I have decided to explore Paracelsus’s ideas and ~bring together the various connotations he conferred to the term ‘poison’. ~For the purpose of this chapter, I have chosen a methodology that would ~take account of the timing of Paracelsus’s writings as well as their relevance ~to the subject at hand. I have consequently decided to take a treatise-based ~approach that would not only focus on works that have a particular emphasis ~on the topic of poison, but also reflect, to the best extent possible, the ~chronology of these treatises. The chapter is thus focussed on seven writings, ~although it makes references to other works where appropriate. At the end, ~I have tried to synthesise the views of these works and consider the question ~of consistency of ideas on ‘poison’ throughout Paracelsus’s writings.