De alchimia opuscula complura veterum philosophorum, quorum catalogum sequens pagella indicabit

sig. iij

...it attempted to seize by art that very thing which vegetates and produces all things, as if enclosed within its own limits in the most noble and perfect metals. Applying this then to the graver diseases of the human body, it vanquished very many, even those considered incurable, with great praise. Hence it is that many ancient Physicians, such as Galen, Avicenna, and Aristotle, that most observant investigator of nature, accomplished in their own times things that were considered prodigious by the judgment of the common people rather than worthy of admiration. Those who have a fresh memory of the matter say that not long before these times there was a certain Theophrastus of Transylvania, who, having grasped the deeper mysteries of this art, discovered the matter which those ancient Philosopher-investigators of nature, covering it with their own parables and veils, wished to signify. By applying it to human bodies, he accomplished marvelous and almost divine things. For he dared to cure three most serious diseases by the work of this same thing: namely, Gout, Leprosy, and Epilepsy, in addition to all other things which he performed that were much greater than these. For that reason, since there is some greatest use for this thing, and we have chanced upon some lucubrations of such ancient Philosophers, wishing to serve the public benefit of students, we have judged that they should be published, led by the good hope...