Application of Distillation in Medicine

Timeline

1. c. 1501–1505Basel · SwitzerlandIn the early sixteenth century, Paracelsus advocated in the German and Swiss regions the use of distillation to extract herbal essences and mineral preparations, opposing sole reliance on classical Galenic medicine, and promoting the experimental application of medicinal alcohol, tinctures, and mercury preparations in battlefield surgery and plague treatment.
2. c. 1506–1510European urban pharmacy network · EuropeFrom the mid-to-late 1500s, pharmacies in major European cities were commonly equipped with copper stills, serpentine condenser tubes, and fractional distillation apparatus, using alcohol to extract the active ingredients of spices and herbs, producing perfumes, medicinal wines, and surgical disinfectants; distillation diagrams and recipe manuals began to be printed and circulated, promoting the cross-regional spread of medical knowledge.