Otto Tachenius born Tacke (c. 1610 – 8 December 1680) was an alchemist and physician from
Westphalia
Westphalia (; german: Westfalen ; nds, Westfalen ) is a region of northwestern Germany and one of the three historic parts of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It has an area of and 7.9 million inhabitants.
The territory of the regio ...
who is known for the book ''Hippocrates Chymicus'' (1677) which was among the early texts that was among the early texts that suggested that salts and acid-base reactions could be involved in human health and body functioning. He claimed in his book that the basis existed already in the works of
Hippocrates
Hippocrates of Kos (; grc-gre, Ἱπποκράτης ὁ Κῷος, Hippokrátēs ho Kôios; ), also known as Hippocrates II, was a Greek physician of the classical period who is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of ...
.
Tachenius was born in Westphalia to mill owner Heinrich Tacke. After apprenticing in apothecaries in
Herford
Herford (; nds, Hiarwede) is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, located in the lowlands between the hill chains of the Wiehen Hills and the Teutoburg Forest. It is the capital of the district of Herford (district), Herford.
Geography
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followed by Lemgo (c. 1633) and Bremen, he left, possibly dismissed by his employer for theft. He then travelled under the name of "Tachenius", through Kiel, Danzig (1641), Königsberg, Warsaw and Vienna and then studied at the
University of Padua
The University of Padua ( it, Università degli Studi di Padova, UNIPD) is an Italian university located in the city of Padua, region of Veneto, northern Italy. The University of Padua was founded in 1222 by a group of students and teachers from B ...
. He received a doctorate in 1647 and became a physician in Venice while also making studies on chemicals such as silica, and the effect of soap on oils. He supported the idea of his teacher
Franciscus Sylvius
Franciscus Sylvius (15 March 1614 – 19 November 1672), born Franz de le Boë, was a Dutch physician and scientist (chemist, physiologist and anatomist) who was an early champion of Descartes', Van Helmont's and William Harvey's work and ...
that all reactions involved acids and bases. He claimed that oils had a hidden acid which is released while forming soap when reacting with alkali, noting that soap could dissolve minute amounts of silver. He questioned Van Helmont on the existence of a universal solvent and then went on to sell a proprietary or miracle cure "viperine salt" (sal viperinum). This was criticized by others and Tachenius believed that his critic was Helwig Dieterich, resulting in polemics between the two (and others) which went on until 1656.
References
External links
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Ottonis Tachenij Hippocrates chimicus, per ignem & aquam methodo inaudita nouissimi salis viperini antiquissima fundamenta ostendens (1697)
Biography
{{Authority control
Apothecaries
German physicians
1680 deaths