User:ChristophThomas/Marie Meurdrac

Meurdrac Marie (1610-1680) is a French alchemist of the seventeenth century. After a childhood in Mandres in the family home with his sister, the future Madame de La Watchtower, she married Henri de Vibrac , captain of the guard of Charles of Valois at Castle Grosbois. Lady companion of the Countess of Guiche, she studied chemistry and pharmacy in his own laboratory , fairly well equipped. It distributes medicines, drugs and ointments for free to the poor, allowing it to test different recipes. Few details of his life have survived. She published a treatise in 1666 under the title The chymistry charitable & easy for ladies is explicitly based on its experience, it promotes the theory. This book is divided into six parts: principles, methods and techniques of chemistry, properties of plant , animal and mineral substances , preparing medications and cosmetics. Relatively short (334 pages), it is aimed at a female audience (especially in the last part ) in a simple vocabulary. It was reissued again in 1674 and after his death in 1687. Its chemistry is based on the theory of the three principles ( or substances) of Paracelsus that every body consists of Salt, Mercury and Sulphur to be extracted animal , vegetable and mineral substances to develop drugs. Marie Meurdrac builds on the work of Rupescissa, Ramon Llull, Joseph du Chesne and Nicolas Lemery but also demonstrated great knowledge apothecary. Experiences and preparations described in his treatise can usually be reproduced with rudimentary equipment, but it offers its readers to make preparations on demand, practical courses in his lab or teach them new secrets