Notorious alchemist Dippel appears in German history and science in the 17th century. Achieving moderate success with Dippel's Animal Oil, he's known for radical theology, his famous association with Castle Frankenstein and the accidental creation of Prussian blue.
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Background
Johann Konrad Dippel (1673 - 1734), is a controversial figure in European history. A German Lutheran Pietist theologian, physician, alchemist and occultist, his call for dissolution of the churches incites both admiration and outrage throughout Europe.
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Dippel is born at Castle Frankenstein and later employed there as an alchemist. Built near Darmstadt, Germany c. 1250, the Castle is named for the Imperial Barony of Frankenstein, established by Lord Conrad II Reiz of Breuberg. The name means "stone of the Franks".
Dippel studies philosophy, theology and alchemy at the University of Giessen in Hesse, and in 1693 receives a master's degree in theology. He publishes many religious works under the name Christianus Demócritus. Most are still preserved.
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Circa 1700, he turns to Hermetic studies and alchemy as a key to nature. Hermeticism or Hermetism is a philosophical system of religious belief based on teachings of Hermes Trismegistus, a merger of Greek god Hermes and Egyptian god Thoth.
Along with their other duties, gods Hermes and Thoth become deities of alchemy. The Hermetica, a collection of teachings, contains texts attributed to Hermes Trismegistus. They cover several centuries (c. 300 BCE – 1200 CE) and vary in in content and scope.
Alchemy
Based on ancient metallurgy, alchemy comes to Western Europe with Arab traders in Spain. Spain is a prolific source of cinnabar (HgS), a stone made of sulfur and mercury, beloved by alchemists. In countries such as Arabia alchemy is evolving.
The Greeks call it "the Egyptian art". Highly influenced by Islamic knowledge, alchemy comes into flower at the emerald delta of the Nile during the Greco-Egyptian period. Major figures such as Mary the Jewess and Zosimos of Panopolis live and work in Alexandria.
Important goals of alchemy include:
to purify, mature, and perfect certain materials
chrysopoeia, the transmutation of base metals into noble metals (ie lead to gold)
to create or discover an elixir of immortality
to create a panacea to cure all disease.
Behind the herb garden of Castle Frankenstein is a natural pond known as a fountain of youth. Legend says on the first full moon after Walpurgisnacht witches came to bathe. They undergo tests of courage. The one who succeeds becomes as young as on her wedding day.
The caduceus of Hermes or Roman Mercury is fabled to come about because Hermes throws his rod at two snakes fighting, and they both wrap around it. Medieval alchemy uses the caduceus as a symbol to identify preparations containing mercury.
Experiments
Due to his revolutionary and outspoken theology, Dippel is banned from several countries including Sweden and Russia. He also flees Giessen, where he attended University, because he kills a man in a duel. He's imprisoned for seven years for heresy.
Dippel has a number of defenders and followers, though not all are satisfied. Swedish theologian Emanuel Swedenborg is his most notable supporter and, later one of his most vicious critics. Swedenborg calls him a "most vile devil ... who attempted wicked things."
In the vicinity of Castle Frankenstein, rumors abound about his strange activities, including experiments with human corpses. Alchemists, philosophers and intellectuals at the time pursue a theory of soul transference, which Dippel supports in his writings.
It's not known whether Dippel really uses human corpses, or if this is an exaggeration in the telling of stories. It's known he enjoys dissecting animals, from whence his animal bone oil comes. However, dissecting animals doesn't always lead to robbing graves.
Dippel creates the foul-smelling substance he calls Dippel's Oil or Dippel's Animal Oil. Also known as bone oil, it's made from the destructive distillation of bones, blood and body fluids, refined several times in a chemical heat process to decompose organic material.
It's stinky, sludgy and repulsive. Nonetheless Dippel proclaims his elixir can heal typhus and holds the secret to eternal life. Like many Elixirs of Immortality it initially gives a slight buzz / stimulant effect. Dippel tries to buy Castle Frankenstein for the formula. The offer is refused.
It's effective as an insect and animal repellent. Dippel's Oil plays a role in World War II, used in chemical warfare as a harassing agent in the desert. Poured into wells it makes water undrinkable. As it's not lethal, use of it this way doesn't breach the Geneva Protocol.
Dippel's most famous invention isn't really his. It's an accident. Pigment maker Diesbach uses potash or potassium carbonate, the primary ingredient in potash, to produce rich red pigment. He runs out of supply, and gives Dippel a shout.
Dippel delivers the potash. Neither man knows it's contaminated, either with blood or bone oil. Instead of the rich red he expects, Diesbach beholds a deep brilliant blue, the new color Prussian Blue, aka Berlin Blue. It soon begins to appear in the palettes of painters.
It's noted in a 1706 written text:
“... H. Joh. Jacob Diesbach has invented a certain blue paint and luckily revealed it, which is said to surpass the famous ultramarine; this is why it is now sold under the name Prussian ultramarine or Berlin blue for a reasonable price."
At first, Dippel and Diesbach tell no one the formula. They can sit back and get rich. Then Dippel, in a maniacal act of self-sabotage, writes a scathing theology rant. He and Diesbach argue. Dippel reveals the pigment formula. Diesbach takes on a different partner.
Reclusion and Final Years
Toward the end of his life, Dippel turns from Christianity altogether, after years of uproar and violent disputes with other Christian leaders. Calling Christ "an indifferent being", Dippel becomes more reclusive and focuses on his experiments in alchemy.
He sets up a lab near Wittgenstein. It eventually becomes a pub, Dippelshof. While there, at least one local minister accuses Dippel of grave-robbing, experimenting on cadavers, and consorting with the Devil.
By now Dippel avoids company. Keeping to himself and immersed in his work, a fearsome unapproachable figure in the market, he might actively perpetuate rumors of black magic and Satanist affiliations.
His reputation as a dark sorcerer grows. With it comes a whole new audience willing to pay for his wisdom, understanding of the philosopher's stone, prophecies, advice and the elusive Elixir of Life.
In 1733, Dippel proclaims he has discovered an elixir to extend his life to 135 years. He dies a year later at Castle Wittgenstein in North Rhine-Westphalia. Possible causes vary from a stroke to alchemical elixir poisoning.