Paracelsus
1493–1541 · Swiss-German · Renaissance
Known for: Father of toxicology who introduced chemical medicine and declared 'the dose makes the poison'
Paracelsus was revolutionary, combative, and deliberately provocative. He publicly burned the works of Galen and Avicenna, rejected all medical authority in favor of observation, and declared 'the dose makes the poison'—founding toxicology with a single sentence.
He wandered Europe dressed as a beggar, drank heavily, and antagonized every medical establishment he encountered. He was brilliant, infuriating, and usually right.
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