Reinholdus, Erasmus. See [Erasmus].
Rhazès—Razes—Rasis—Rasaeus—Abu-Bekr Al-Rázi—Muhammad Ibn Zakariya—one of the most famous of the ancient Arabian physicians, is the author of “De simplicibus, ad Almansorem,” the ten books of which contain a complete system of medicine.[71] In Book I. chap. xv. of De Magnete, reference is made to Chap. LXIII. liber ix. of Rhazès’ work, entitled “De Curatione omnium partium,” wherein an electuary of iron slag, or of prepared steel filings, is spoken of as a highly commended and celebrated remedy for dried-up liver, the Arabs believing that iron opens the spleen and the liver.
References.—“Journal des Sçavans,” Vol. LXXVI for 1725, p. 220, and Vol. LXXXV for 1728, p. 412; “Journal des Savants” for February 1892, pp. 118–126 passim, and for March 1892 (“l’Alchimie de Razes”), pp. 190–195, also for May 1851, p. 288, giving names of all the leading alchemists; “Abhandlungen zur Geschichte der Mathematik,” Vol. VI., Leipzig, 1892, pp. 43–44, 76; Larousse, “Dict. Univ.,” Vol. XIII. p. 747; Freind (John), “History of Physic”; Eloy (N. F. J.), “Dict. Hist. de la Médecine,” Vol. IV. pp. 56–61; Haller (Albrecht von), “Bibliotheca Botanica”; Sprengel (Kurt Polycarp Joachim), “Hist. de la Médecine.”
Ruellius, Joannes—Jean Ruel—(1479–1537), was a French physician, attached to the court of François I—, who wrote a Commentary on Dioscorides, published 1516, 1529, 1543, as well as several medical treatises. The one by which he is best known is the “De Natura Stirpium,” Paris, 1536, reprinted four times at Basle and at Venice, from which Gilbert extracts (De Magnete, Book I. chap. i.) the mention by Ruellius that the loadstone’s force, when failing or dulled, is restored by the blood of a buck.
References.—“Sc. de Ste Marthe, Elogia Doct. Gallorum”; Eloy (N. F. J.), “Dict. hist. de la Méd.”; “Biographie Générale,” Vol. XLII. pp. 864–865.
Rueus, Franciscus—François de la Rüe—(1520–1585), Flemish naturalist who long practised in his native country and the author of “De Gemmis aliquot ...” 1547, 1565, which was printed, with the book on “Philosophy of Vallesius” in 1588, 1595, 1652, also at Franckfort in 1596, and together with the “Similitudines ac Parabolæ” of Lev. Lemnius in 1626. Gilbert’s only reference to him is briefly made in the opening chapter of De Magnete.
References.—Valère, André, “Bibl. Belgica,” p. 240; Mercklein (Georg Abraham), “Lindenius renovatus,” 1686, pp. 297, 304; Le P. Lelong, “Bibl. Sacr.,” p. 935; “Biog. Générale,” Vol. XXIX. p. 702.
Scaliger, Julius Cæsar (1484–1558), a famous Italian scholar who practised medicine at Verona until 1525 and afterwards devoted his time to writing on various subjects, as shown in the “Biographie Générale,” Vol. XLIII. pp. 446–450. Of the works cited in latter, should be extracted, as best known: “In Aristotelis ... de plantis,” 1556; “In Theophrasti, de causis plantarum,” 1566; “De Subtilitate ad Cardanum,” 1557, 1560, 1576, 1592, 1634.
It is to the last-named important work that Gilbert frequently alludes (De Magnete, Book I. chaps. i. xvi; Book II. chaps. i. iii. iv. xxxviii.; Book iv. chap. i.). He says, more particularly, that Scaliger strays far from truth when, in treating of magnetic bodies, he speaks of diamond attracting iron, also that he keeps the loadstone and iron in bran to protect them from the injurious action of the atmosphere, and that Scaliger, in order to explain the difference of variation for change of locality, brings in a celestial cause to himself unknown, and terrestrial loadstones that have nowhere been discovered; and seeks the cause not in the “siderite mountains,” but in that force which formed them, to wit, in the part of the heaven which overhangs that northern point.
References.—Teissier (H. A.), “Eloges des hommes illustres”; Coupé (Jean Marie Louis), “Soirées littéraires,” Vol. XV; Nicéron (Jean Pierre), “Mémoires,” XXIII; Larousse, “Dict. Univ.,” Vol. VIII. pp. 692–693.