Modern Age begins with the intellectual revolution of the 17th century, triggered by the monumental contribution of men like René Descartes (1596-1650), Isaac Newton (1642-1727) and John Locke (1632-1704). Their researches and scientific investigations enabled the advance and progress that culminated in the 18th century Enlightenment. This scientific movement had major developments in France, with sages like Voltaire and Rousseau. The work produced by scientists such as Isaac Newton, Robert Boyle (1627-1691), Antoine Lavoisier and Carl von Linné (1707-1778), known as Lineu, opened the way for new areas of knowledge.
 

At the end of the Renaissance, the emergence of a new medical system changed the concept of iatrochemistry. Discovered by the Italian physician Santorio (1561-1636) and named “iatrophysics” or “iatromechanics”, this new system regarded the human body as a machine and health and disease as being dependent on interpretations of the laws of physics. The Galenic concept of humors was replaced in the iatromechanical theory by the concept of fiber, which was considered the fundamental element of the organism.

The pharmacy of the Baroque is the result of the interlacing of the various medical theories, in addition to the classical doctrines. Consequently, its medication was a mixture of traditional methods, such as purging, bleeding, enemas (endowed with purging, astringent, carminative, etc., properties), and vegetable drugs; chemical drugs from iatrochemistry; mineral-medicinal waters; American drugs such as cinchona and ipecacuanha; intravenous injections and blood transfusions, although with little encouraging results.

Lavoisier laid the foundations of modern chemistry and mysticism, occultism and the old alchemy’s knowledge were definitely eradicated. The scientific dynamism gave rise to the invention of new instruments that became, little by little, indispensable tools to research work: the telescope, the barometer, the microscope, the thermometer, etc.