Alchemist with his students. 16th-century illustration of an alchemist with his students. An apprentice mixes materials for distillation as the alchemist instructs his students on how to select and mix herbs to prepare therapies for distillation. The alchemist wears a long robe trimmed with fur, while his students wear silks and woollen coats trimmed with fur. This is a page from 'Liber de arte distillandi de compositis' (1512), published in Strasbourg by German surgeon and alchemist Hieronymus Brunschwig (c.1450-c.1512). This work is a practical manual on chemical, alchemical, and distillation devices, and techniques used to manufacture potions and drugs.