The Salt of the Earth
Subtitle: Natural Philosophy, Medicine, and Chymistry in England, 1650-1750 (History of Science and Medicine Library)
Publisher: Brill Academic Publishers; Brill
Published: August 31, 2007
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 293
ISBN-13: 9789004161764
Subjects: History of science; c 1600 to c 1700; c 1700 to c 1800; Science; Science/Mathematics; England; History; 16th century; 17th century; Europe; Medicine; Philosophy
Description: "Consisting of a series of case studies, this book is devoted to the concept and uses of salt in early modern science, which have played a crucial role in the evolution of matter theory from Aristotelian concepts of the elements to Newtonian chymistry. No study on this subject has been previously available. Its exploration of natural history's and medicine's intersection with chemical investigation in early modern England demonstrates the growing importance of the senses and experience as causes of intellectual change from 1650-1750. It demonstrates that an understanding of the changing definitions of "salt" is also crucial to a historical comprehension of the transition between alchemy and chemistry."--Jacket.