Johann Friedrich Schweitzer or Sweitzer, usually known as Helvetius (1630 – 1709) was a Dutch physician and alchemical writer of German extraction. He is known for his books ''Ichts aus Nichts, für alle Begierigen der Natur'' published in 1655, ''Vitulus Aureus'' (The Golden Calf), published in 1667 under the pseudonym Joakim Philander, and ''Miraculo transmutandi Metallica'', Antwerp, 1667. Helvetius was born or baptized 17 January 1630 in Köthen (Anhalt)Dr. Johannes Fredericus Schweitzer
at http://geneagraphie.com as the son of the jurist Balthazar Sweitzer (Schweitzer, Helvety of Helvetius) and Anna Braunin.C. de Waal
Helvetius, Johan Frederik
in Nieuw Nederlandsch biografisch woordenboek Vol 3 (1914) He arrived in 1649 in the Dutch Republic, where he obtained a degree at the University of Harderwijk in 1656 with a dissertation ''de Peste''. He first lived in Amsterdam, but subsequently moved to The Hague, where he became a physician to the Prince of Orange-Nassau (later to be William III of England).Helvetius (Joannes Fridericus)
in Biographisch woordenboek der Nederlanden, vol 8, (1867), pp. 509-512 He wrote numerous books on herbs and medicine in Dutch, German, and Latin. He is notorious for the story that he actually carried out

transmutation Transmutation may refer to: Pseudoscience and science Alchemy *Chrysopoeia and argyropoeia, the turning of inexpensive metals, such as lead or copper, into gold and silver * Magnum opus (alchemy), the creation of the philosopher's stone * Menta ...

of lead into gold. He is said to have known

Baruch Spinoza Baruch (de) Spinoza (born Bento de Espinosa; later as an author and a correspondent ''Benedictus de Spinoza'', anglicized to ''Benedict de Spinoza''; 24 November 1632 – 21 February 1677) was a Dutch philosopher of Portuguese-Jewish origin, b ...

. Helvetius married Johanna Pels (1643–1709) in July 1658 in The Hague. They had 16 children, including Adriaan Helvetius (1662-1727), who introduced the use of ipecac in his position at the French court and was the father of another court physician, Jean-Claude-Adrien Helvétius (1685–1755). The philosopher Claude-Adrien Helvétius (1715-1771) was a son of the latter.Ipecac
at herbs2000.com. Helvetius died 29 August 1709 in The Hague.

Notes

References

* Arthur Edward Waite, ''John Frederick Helvetius: The Famous Alchemist''

External links

*
''The Golden Calf, Which the World Adores, and Desires''
at Project Gutenberg {{DEFAULTSORT:Schweizer, Johann Friedrich 1630 births 1709 deaths 17th-century Dutch physicians Dutch alchemists German emigrants to the Netherlands People from Köthen (Anhalt) University of Harderwijk alumni 17th-century alchemists 18th-century alchemists