Né l’alchimia, né la chimica. Minerali, pietre, metalli: Descartes, la meccanica dei corpi naturali e la medicina

While modern chemistry emerged from the effective relationship between chemistry and alchemy, the refusal of a few inefficient features of chymistry, its seventeenth-century form, appeared decisively played by the mechanization of nature. In this study, special focus will be given to René Descartes, whose mechanical philosophy excluded any chemical interpretation of nature. Yet, his alternative understanding of chemistry appeared an engaging foothold for his comprehension of natural bodies and his medical investigations.