References.—“Journal des Savants” for June 1891 (“Traditions ... chez les Alchimistes du Moyen Age,” par Marcellin Pierre Eugène Berthelot); Larousse, “Dict. Univ.,” Vol. VII. p. 1153; Gilbert, De Magnete, Book II. chap. xxxviii.
Fallopius, Gabriellus (1523–1562), was a famous Italian anatomist and one of the three who, according to Cuvier, restored or rather created anatomy during the sixteenth century. The other two were Vassalli and Eustachi. His principal work is “Observationes Anatomicæ,” Venice, 1561; a list of the others—named in “Biog. Gén.,” Vol. XVII. pp. 66–69—embracing “De medicatis ... de metallis sev fossilibus ...” Venice, 1564; “De Simplicibus Medicamentis purgantibus tractatus,” 1566; “De Compositione Medicamentorum,” 1570; “Opera Genuina Omnia,” 1584, 1596, 1606. The collected edition of his complete works was published in Venice, 1584, and at Frankfort, 1600.
References.—Tiraboschi (Girolamo), “Biblioteca Modenese,” Vol. II. p. 236; Nicéron (J. P.), “Mémoires,” Vol. IV. p. 396; Gilbert, De Magnete, Book I. chaps. i. and xv. also Book II. chap. xxxviii.; Larousse, “Dict. Univ.,” Vol. VIII. p. 67.
Fernelius, Joannes Franciscus (1497–1558), celebrated French physician, called the modern Galen, is the author of many works which are cited at pp. 477–483, Vol. XVII of the “Biographie Générale,” the principal ones being “De naturali parte medicinæ,” 1542, “De vacuandi ratione liber,” 1545, and “De Abditis Rerum Causis,” 1548. Gilbert alludes to the last named (De Magnete, Book I. chap. i.), saying that Fernel believes there is in the loadstone a hidden and abstruse cause: elsewhere he says this cause is celestial; and he does but explain the unknown by the more unknown. This search after hidden causes, he adds, is something ignorant, beggarly and resultless.
References.—Thou (François Auguste de), “Historiarum sui temporis”; Sc. de Sainte Marthe, “Elogia Doct. Gallorum”; Eloy, “Dict. Hist. de la Médecine,” Mons, 1778, Vol. II. pp. 208–221; Larousse, “Dict. Univ.,” Vol. VIII. p. 259.
Ficino, Marsilia (1433–1499), was the son of Ficino, the physician of Cosmo de Medici, and was one of the leading scholars of the Renaissance. He was celebrated as the most distinguished translator of Plato and as the reviver of Platonic philosophy in Italy. One of his biographers has said that the most important feature of his philosophy is his claim to harmonizing Platonic idealism with Christian doctrine.
Gilbert says that “Ficinus chews the cud of ancient opinions, and to give the reason of the magnetic direction seeks its cause in the constellation Ursa. Ficinus writes, and Merula copies, that in the loadstone the potency of Ursa prevails, and hence it is transferred into the iron” (De Magnete, Book. I. chap. i.; Book III., chap. i.; Book IV. chap. i.).
His complete works (published in two volumes, Venice, 1516, Basle, 1561, 1576, Paris, 1641), embrace “Theologiæ Platonicæ,” 1488; “De Vita libri tres,” 1489; “Iamblichus, de mysteriis ...” 1497; “Apologiæ in qua medicina, astrologia ...” 1498.
References.—Corsi (Raimondo Maria), “M. Ficini Vita,” Pisa, 1772; Symonds (John Addington), “Remains in Italy,” London, 1875, and “Renaissance in Italy,” New York, 1888, pp. 324–328; “English Cyclop.” (Biography), Vol. II. p. 908; “The Rise of Intellectual Liberty from Thales to Copernicus,” by Frederic May Holland, New York, 1885, pp. 279–280; Larousse, “Dict. Univ.,” Vol. VIII. pp. 331–332; “Journal des Savants” for May 1894; Houzeau et Lancaster, “Bibl. Gén.,” Vol. II. p. 131; “Biog. Générale,” Vol. XVII. pp. 634–638; “The Works of Geo. Berkeley,” by A. C. Fraser, Oxford, 1901, Vols. II. p. 268; III. pp. 216–217, 221–223, 260, 296–297; “Dict. of Philos. and Psych.,” by J. M. Baldwin, New York, 1901, Vol. I. p. 381.
Fracastorio, Hieronymo (1483–1553), Italian physician and one of the most learned men of his day, is said to have been made Professor of Logic at the University of Padua when but nineteen years of age. J. B. Ramusio admitted that he owed to Fracastorio the idea and much of the material for his great work “Rac. di Navigazioni e Viaggi,” first published in 1550.