ARCHAEUS

ARCHAEUS, an obscure term, used chiefly among the ancient chemists, to express I know not what principle of life and motion; the cause of all the effects which men observe in nature. See LIFE.

Hence, as they differ in their ideas of a vital cause, the term Archaeus becomes applied to very different things: Though most of them conceive it of the nature of fire. See FIRE. Some use Archaeus to denote the fire lodged in the center of the Earth; to which they ascribe the generation of metals and minerals, and which they believe to be the principle of life in vegetables. See CENTER, etc.



Others, by the word Archaeus, mean a certain universal spirit, diffused throughout the whole creation, the active cause of all the phenomena in nature. See SPIRIT, NATURE, etc.

Others, instead of Archaeus, choose to call it the anima mundi; and others the vital heat of the Earth. See ANIMA MUNDI, etc.

They add, that all bodies have their share of this Archaeus; and when this is corrupted, it produces diseases, which they call Archaeal-diseases.

They likewise attribute ideas to it, which for this reason they call Archaeal ideas. See IDEA.

The word is derived from ἀρχή, principle; this fire being the principle and source of all the effects in nature. See PRINCIPLE. Helmont is a great asserter of the dogma of an Archaeus—"No poison," says he, "can act on a carcass; if, therefore, it has any effect, it’s by means of the Archaeus." He adds, "that if any heterogeneous body happens to be present to the Archaeus, it rises into a fervor, endeavors to expel the hostile matter; and, in order to that, exerts all the force of the body. To cure any disease, therefore, is to pacify, and compose this Archaeus." This Archaeus, he holds, is irritated at the least appearance of anything heterogeneous; and as its office is to watch over the health, and safety of the whole body; it is excited at the very shadow of the enemy, calls its forces to the charge, raises fevers, etc. All, therefore, required to an universal medicine, is something that may readily pacify, and lay this unnatural fever upon all occasions.

This doctrine of Helmont, Boerhaave observes, would not be so absurd, did he not ascribe understanding to this Archaeus: setting this aside, the principle which renders poisons deadly, and remedies beneficial, is the circulation of the blood. See CIRCULATION and BLOOD.

ARCHAEUS