. ▁ ▁He ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Bas el , ▁where ▁he ▁att ained ▁a ▁doctor ate ▁in ▁medicine ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 5 9 6 . ▁His ▁doctor al ▁th esis , ▁De ▁ep ile ps ia ▁was ▁dedicated ▁to ▁Matth ias ▁Car n arius . ▁Ma ier ▁then ▁returned ▁to ▁Hol stein ▁to ▁practice ▁medicine . ▁Ar ound ▁ 1 5 9 9 , ▁he ▁became ▁interested ▁in ▁al ch emy ▁and ▁attempted ▁to ▁create ▁an ▁al chem ical ▁conc ord ance , ▁synth es izing ▁the ▁works ▁of ▁different ▁authors . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁service ▁of ▁Rudolf ▁II ▁( 1 6 0 9 - 1 6 1 1 ) ▁In ▁ 1 6 0 8 , ▁he ▁went ▁to ▁Prag ue , ▁and ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁September ▁ 1 6 0 9 , ▁he ▁formally ▁entered ▁the ▁service ▁of ▁Rudolf ▁II ▁as ▁his ▁phys ician ▁and ▁imperial ▁coun s ell or . ▁Ten ▁days ▁later , ▁Rudolf ▁raised ▁him ▁to ▁the ▁her edit ary ▁nob ility ▁and ▁gave ▁him ▁the ▁title ▁of ▁Imperial ▁Count ▁Pal at ine . ▁He ▁was ▁granted ▁a ▁coat ▁of ▁arms ▁which ▁dep icted ▁a ▁bird , ▁bond ed ▁together ▁with ▁f rog ▁by ▁a ▁golden ▁chain . ▁Ar ound ▁this ▁time , ▁Ma ier ▁published ▁an ▁extremely ▁limited ▁print ▁run ▁of ▁De ▁Med icina ▁Reg ia ▁et ▁vere ▁Hero ica , ▁Co el id onia ▁( 1 6 0 9 ), ▁including ▁in ▁it ▁his ▁aut obi ography . ▁The ▁interest ▁of