2 History of Pharmacolog Since time immemorial. medicaments have been used for treating disease in humans and animals. The herbals of an- quity describe the therapeutic powers f certain plants and minerals. Belief in he curative powers of plants and cer- traditional knowledge, that is, empirical information not subjected to critical icine. He prescribed chemically defined fessional en re poison, nothing is without poison; the dose alone causes a thing not to be poi- Claudius Galen(129-200 A D )first at ackground of p ology Both the- ribute equally to the rational use of medicines through interpretation of ob- rved and experienced results. experience. We, however, maintain that it is found in part by experience, in part by theory. Neither experience nor the lone is apt to discover all. Theophrastus von Hohenheim(1493- Johann Jakob Wepfer (1620-1695 began to was the first to verify by animal experi- quesiton doctrines handed down from mentation assertions about pharmaco- active ingredient(s)in prescribed reme. "Pondered at length. Finally I resolved to es, while rejecting the irrational co rify the matter by experiments. coctions and mixtures of medieval med- LOllmann, Color Atlas of Pharmacology e 2000 Thieme All rights reserved Usage subject to terms and conditions of licenseHistory of Pharmacology Since time immemorial, medicaments have been used for treating disease in humans and animals. The herbals of an￾tiquity describe the therapeutic powers of certain plants and minerals. Belief in the curative powers of plants and cer￾tain substances rested exclusively upon traditional knowledge, that is, empirical information not subjected to critical ex￾amination. The Idea Claudius Galen (129–200 A.D.) first at￾tempted to consider the theoretical background of pharmacology. Both the￾ory and practical experience were to contribute equally to the rational use of medicines through interpretation of ob￾served and experienced results. “The empiricists say that all is found by experience. We, however, maintain that it is found in part by experience, in part by theory. Neither experience nor theory alone is apt to discover all.” The Impetus Theophrastus von Hohenheim (1493– 1541 A.D.), called Paracelsus, began to quesiton doctrines handed down from antiquity, demanding knowledge of the active ingredient(s) in prescribed reme￾dies, while rejecting the irrational con￾coctions and mixtures of medieval med￾icine. He prescribed chemically defined substances with such success that pro￾fessional enemies had him prosecuted as a poisoner. Against such accusations, he defended himself with the thesis that has become an axiom of pharma￾cology: “If you want to explain any poison prop￾erly, what then isn‘t a poison? All things are poison, nothing is without poison; the dose alone causes a thing not to be poi￾son.” Early Beginnings Johann Jakob Wepfer (1620–1695) was the first to verify by animal experi￾mentation assertions about pharmaco￾logical or toxicological actions. “I pondered at length. Finally I resolved to clarify the matter by experiments.” 2 History of Pharmacology Lüllmann, Color Atlas of Pharmacology © 2000 Thieme All rights reserved. Usage subject to terms and conditions of license