Arnold of VillanovaArnold of Villanova, or Arnaldus de Villa Nova, is thought to have been born around 1240, and his place of birth is widely disputed. He wrote many medical and religious writings as well as many translations.
He was an alchemist (someone who tries to find cures, turn metal into gold, and prolong life), an astrologer, and a practicing physician. He was often said to get his knowledge and capabilities straight from the devil and was strongly disliked. For instance, after claiming that in 1378 the world would end in an apocalypse caused by the Antichrist, he was thrown in prison for heresy but eventually released. He discovered Carbon Monoxide and pure alcohol. He used this alcohol to put people under a drug induced sleep in order to operate on them. Thus, he is also considered one of the inventors of the early anesthetic. He also had many ideas, as an alchemist, about how to prolong his life. He would cover his chest each night in a wax mixture and would eat one of his farm raised chickens everyday. He died on September 6, 1311 at the age of 76. |