1531-1596

Swiss/German physician, alchemist, mining and metallurgical technologist who, though steeped in occult philosophical sympathies of nature as in his alchemical pursuits, was also a practical scientist who made contributions to mining, metallurgy, and hydrology. Thurneysser represented the transitional state of later sixteenth century central European thinkers, holding to traditional pseudo-science concepts but pursuing application as well. He was a disciple of Georg Agricola's (1494-1555) practical mineralogy, mining, and metallurgical techniques. He also made contributions to river hydrology among other ideas in Ten Books on Mineral and Metalic Waters (published in 1612).