[Anselme Boèce De Boodt (1550-1632), gem cutter and physician to Rudolph II]. / Anselme Boèce De Boodt (1550-1632), lapidaire et médecin de Rodolphe II.

ABSTRACT

Anselme-Boetius De Boodt was born in Bruges. He had already finished his studies of the law, when he became interested in medicine and later was appointed physician to the Emperor Rudolf II. He was the author of a treatise on mineralogy Gemmarum et lapidum Historia (1609) in which he still expressed his belief that gems have therapeutic as well as other marvellous virtues. He felt he had personal proof as "the turquoise he wore on his finger preserved him several times from injury."