Ten fun facts about Jan Baptist von Helmont

Fact 1
Although he studied classics at the University of Louvain, then studied spiritual writers, he finally turned to medicine after being unhappy with those fields.

Fact 2
He had theorized there were six different stages of digestion in his piece "Oriatrike or Physick Refined".

Fact 3
He is often called the founder of pneumatic chemistry, and he claimed 'gas' as his own invention.

Fact 4
After he received his license to practice medicine, he was diagnosed with scabies. He was cured by Paracelsian mineral remedies.

Fact 5
When he was studying in school, it is said he threw away his books or even gave them away, searching for knowledge.

Fact 6
When he retired, he spent at least 7 years dedicating himself to research for relief of the poor.

Fact 7
His piece "Of the Magnetic Curing of Wounds" lead to problems with the Spanish Inquisition, which he was not acquitted of until 2 years after his death.

Fact 8
Much of his writing was published posthumously by his son Francis Mercurius.

Fact 9
Though he followed the beliefs of Paracelsus, he also believed in experimentation.

Fact 10
Since he married a wealthy women, he was able to retire early from his practice when she passed away.