In the 16th century, alchemy became a victim of its own success. The more it achieved, the more its reputation suffered. For more information on the transition from alchemy to chemistry, and the interesting characters we encountered in the episode, check out Bruce T. Moran’s Distilling Knowledge.

In the 16th century, great advances were made in anatomy. Amazingly, this didn’t lead to a single improvement in surgery, which remained crude, cruel, and lethal. Be sure to check out the beautiful pictures in Vesalius’ De Humani Corporis Fabrica, including the original skeleton that serves as...