Heroes of Science: Chemists

by M. M. Pattison Muir

INDEX.

A
Acids, connected by Lavoisier with oxygen, [91];
Boyle's and other early definitions, [171];
opposed in early medicine to alkalis, [172];
grouped, [173];
salts, [173];
"the primordial acid," [174];
oxygen not a necessary constituent, [184];
new division of acids by Davy, [205];
acids of different basicity, [237];
modern conception of acids, [301].
Affinity, chemical, apparently suspended by electricity, [191];
history of term "affinity," [206];
tables of, [207];
dependent on electric states, [210].
Air, composition of, determined by Cavendish, [79];
Dalton's investigations, [116].
Alchemy, [5];
alchemical symbols of metals, [11];
quotations from alchemists, [15], [17];
alchemical poetry, [18].
Alcoates, [235].
Alkalis, [171];
fixed and volatile, [173];
mild and caustic, examined by Black, [176];
connection with earths, [178];
name of "base" given by Rouelle, [179];
Gay-Lussac's alkalizing principle, [203].
Ammonia, discovered by Priestley, [66].
Atmolysis, [243].
Atomic theory, dawn of, [117];
early views of Greek philosophers, [123];
of Epicurus and Lucretius, [124];
of Newton and Bernoulli, [125];
Dalton's new views—combination in simple multiples, [127], et seq.;
the theory made known by Dr. Thomson, [129];
it is opposed at first by Davy, [130];
Dalton's rules for arriving at atomic weights, [132];
more accurately applied by Berzelius, [133], [162];
diagrams of atoms, [118], [136];
the theory as carried out by Gay-Lussac and Avogadro, [138], et seq.;
conception of the molecule, [140];
molecular and atomic weight, [145];
Graham's work on molecular reactions, [249];
Berzelius's dualistic views, [212];
they are attacked by Dumas, [260];
conception of the compound radicle, [267];
Laurent's unitary theory, [272];
modern conception of molecule, [275];
revision of atomic weights, [285];
equivalency of atoms, [295].
Avogadro, his elucidation of the atomic theory, [138], et seq.;
introduces the idea of molecules, [140];
law known as Avogadro's law, [143].
B
Base (of salts), [179];
basic lines in spectrum, [311].
Becher, John J., born at Speyer, [26];
his three principles of metals, [26];
his principle of inflammability, [48];
his views on acids, [174].
Berthollet, analyzes ammonia, [66];
adheres to the Lavoisierian theory of combustion, [95];
questions doctrine of fixity of composition, [126];
and necessary presence of oxygen in acids, [184];
shows variable nature of affinities, [208].
Berzelius, Johann J., [106];
determines weights of elementary atoms, [133];
his birth and education, [157];
works at Stockholm, [159];
his slight appliances and large discoveries, [161];
he reviews Dalton's atomic theory, [162];
his views superseded by Avogadro's generalization, [165];
he accepts law of isomorphism, [166];
and Davy's discovery of chlorine, [204];
his views on affinity of atoms, [209];
his dual classification, [212];
works at organic chemistry, [220];
his dualism attacked by Dumas, [260].
Black, Joseph, born at Bordeaux, [30];
his education, [31];
his thesis on magnesia and discovery of "fixed air," [33], et seq.;
inquiries into latent heat, [39];
professor at Edinburgh, [41];
his death and character, [41], et seq.;
resumé of his work, [102];
his examination of alkalis, [176].
Boyle, Hon. Robert, [25];
his "Sceptical Chymist," [76];
law known as "Boyle's law," [77];
opposes doctrine of elementary principles, [93];
his definition of an acid, [171];
extends the knowledge of salts, [177].
Bromine, discovered by Balard, [291].
C
Carbonic acid gas, or "fixed air," studied by Black, [35];
by Priestley, [57], [69].
Cavendish, Hon. Henry, rediscovers hydrogen, [63], [78];
and composition of water and air, [78].
Chloral, } produced by Liebig, composition determined by Dumas, [273].
Chloroform,}
Chlorine, discovered by Davy, [202];
replaces hydrogen in organic compounds, [271].
Colloids, [247].
Combination in multiple proportions, [127].
Combustion, studied by early chemists, [24] (vide "Phlogistic theory");
studied by Black, [47];
his views of Lavoisier's theory, [51];
Priestley's views of combustion, [62];
Lavoisier's experiments, [83], et seq.;
Liebig's combustion-tube, [263].
Compound radicle, [267];
the idea of substitution, [270], [276].
Conservation of mass, doctrine of, [82].
Crystallization, water of, [237].
Crystalloids, [247].
D
Dalton, John, his birth and education, [107];
"answers to correspondents," [109];
his meteorological observations, [110];
teaches at Manchester, [110];
colour-blind, [111];
pressures of gaseous mixtures, [113];
strives after general laws, [115];
first view of atomic theory, [117];
visits Paris, [120];
honours conferred on him, [121], [122];
dies, [123];
consideration of atomic theory (which see), [123], et seq.;
his "New System of Chemical Philosophy," [129];
fixes atomic weight of hydrogen, [130];
small use he makes of books, [148];
inaccurate as an experimenter, [149];
his method compared with Priestley's, [151].
Davy, Sir Humphry, [106];
opposes the atomic theory, [129];
accepts same, [130];
studies the chemical aspects of electricity, [185];
experiments on the acid and alkali said to be produced by electrolyzing water, [186];
apparent suspension of chemical affinities by action of electricity, [191];
discovers potassium, [197];
and sodium, [198];
the metallic bases of earths, [200];
proves the elementary nature of chlorine, [202];
Davy's birth and youth, [215];
experiments on heat, [217];
his work at Bristol, [218];
inhales gases, [220];
lectures at the Royal Institution, [222];
discovers iodine and invents safety-lamp, [224];
dies, [226].
Dialysis, [247].
Diffusion-rates of gases, [241];
distinguished from transpiration-rates, [242];
diffusion-rates of liquids, [245].
Dulong, his law of atomic heat, [168].
Dumas, Jean B. A., birth and education, [257];
physiological studies, [258];
meets Von Humboldt, [259];
attacks the dualism of Berzelius, [260];
Dumas's vapour density process, [262];
ethers and alcohols, [265];
chlorine in connection with organic compounds, [271];
determines composition of chloral and chloroform, [273];
studies fermentation, [287];
member of the National Assembly, [288];
takes office, [289].
E
Earths, [177];
Stahl's views, [178];
the connection between earths and alkalis, [178];
their metallic bases, [182], [200].
Economy of waste materials, [300].
Electric affinity, [191], [210].
Electricity, Volta's battery, [185];
used to decompose water, [185];
new metals discovered by its help, [197].
Elements: old doctrine of elementary principles opposed by Boyle, [93];
modern definition of element, [95]
(vide "Spectroscopic analysis"—basic lines, [311]).
Equivalency, conception of, [294].
F
Fermentation, studied by Dumas, [287].
Fourcroy, calls Lavoisier's views "La chimie Française,", [95]
G
Gay-Lussac, [138], [143], [201], [203], [257].
Gerhardt, [272], [279].
Graham, Thomas, early life, [233];
made Master of the Mint, [234];
his death, [235];
studies alcoates, [235];
formulates conception of acids of different basicity, [237];
considers hydrogen a metal, [238];
investigates phenomena observed by Döbereiner, [240];
diffusion-rates of gases, [241];
of liquids, [245];
his atmolyzer, [243];
his dialyzer, [247];
studies movements and reactions of molecules, [249].
H
Hales's experiments on gases, [34].
Heat, Black's study of latent heat, [39];
specific heat, [98];
Dalton lectures on, [117];
law of capacity for heat, [168];
heat as produced by friction, [217].
Helmholtz, [143];
vortex atoms, [125].
Hooke, Robert, his "Micographia," [24];
studies combustion, [34].
Humboldt, Alexander von, assists Liebig, [256];
and Dumas, [259].
Hydrochloric acid discovered by Priestley, [66];
a stumbling-block to Lavoisierian chemists, [200];
studied by Davy, [201].
Hydrogen, rediscovered by Cavendish, [63];
experimented on by Priestley, [66];
its atomic weight decided by Dalton, [130];
Graham considers it a metal, [238].
I
Iodine, discovered by Davy, [224].
Isomerism, [297].
Isomorphism, law of, [167].
L
Laplace, assists Lavoisier, [90].
Latent heat, Black's theory of, [39].
Laurent, his unitary theory, [272], [278].
Lavoisier, Antoine L., born at Paris, [79];
confutes idea of transmutation, [81];
paper on calcination of tin, [84];
meets Priestley, [61], [85];
his theory of combustion, [51], [86];
his chemical nomenclature, [96];
he is guillotined, [99];
resumé of his work, [103];
his views on salts, [183], [184].
Liebig, Justus, birth, [256];
Humboldt and Gay-Lussac, [257];
his improved combustion-tube, [263];
studies the cyanates, [264];
distinction between organic and inorganic chemistry effaced, [265];
produces chloroform and chloral, [273];
benzoyl, [274];
he leaves Giessen for Munich, [280];
his practical and economic discoveries, [283];
death, [284];
his failure to discover bromine, [291].
Lockyer, his work with spectroscope, [310] (and vide "Spectroscopic analysis").
M
Mayow, John, studies combustion, [24].
Metals, new, discovered by Berzelius, [101];
by Davy, [197];
hydrogen a metal, [238].
Meyer, his views on acids, [174].
Mitscherlich's law of isomorphism, [167].
Molecule, conception of, [140];
molecular weight, [145];
molecular mobility of gases, [242];
movements and reactions of molecules, [249];
modern conception of, [275].
Morveau, De, embraces Lavoisier's views, [96].
Muriatic acid (vide "Hydrochloric acid,") [119].
N
Nitric acid, discovered by Priestley, [65];
produced by electrolysis, [188].
Nomenclature, Lavoisier's system of, [96].
O
Oil, principle of, [254].
Organic chemistry, worked at by Berzelius, [229];
attempts to define it, [253];
loose application of the term, [255];
Wöhler's manufacture of urea abolishes distinction of organic and inorganic chemistry, [265].
Oxygen discovered by Priestley, [59];
Lavoisier's experiments, [87];
it is viewed by him as an acidifier, [91], [175];
Berthollet shows it not a necessary constituent of acids, [184]
(vide "Acids").
P
Paracelsus, [13];
his pamphlet, "Tripus Aureus," etc., [19].
Petit, [168].
Phlogistic theory, [26];
enunciated by Stahl, [27];
abandoned by Black, [46];
phlogiston described as a kind of motion, [49];
discovery of dephlogisticated air, [59];
the theory overthrown by Lavoisier, [92].
Phosphoric acid, [86].
Pneumatic trough, invented by Priestley, [57].
Potassium, discovered by Davy, [197].
Prussic acid, discovered by Berthollet, [184].
Priestley, Joseph, born, [52];
bred for the ministry, [53];
writes on electricity, [55];
his pneumatic trough, [57];
discovers oxygen, [59];
meets Lavoisier, [61], [85];
goes to Birmingham, [65];
his experiments on hydrogen, [66];
his house burnt by rioters, [71];
emigrates to America, [72];
dies there, [73];
resumé of his work, [102];
his method compared with that of Dalton, [151].
Q
Quantitative analysis neglected by early chemists, [29];
first accurately employed by Black, [33];
used by Lavoisier, [87].
R
Respiration explained by Lavoisier, [91].
Revolution, French, its effect on Priestley, [70];
Lavoisier guillotined, [99].
Richter's equivalents of acids and bases, [162].
Ripley, Canon, an alchemist, his poems, [18].
Rouelle, invents term "base," [179];
his studies on salts, [181].
S
Salts, [173];
"principle of salt" opposed by Boyle, [177];
earth or alkali the base of salts, [179];
Rouelle's inquiries, [181];
Lavoisier's definition, [184];
considered as metallic derivatives of acids, [205];
alcoholic salts, [235].
"Sceptical Chymist, The," by Hon. Robert Boyle, [76]-93.
Shelburne, Earl of, patron of Priestley, [58];
to whom he grants an annuity, [65].
Spectroscopic analysis, [302];
lines in solar spectrum, [306];
the solar atmosphere, [308];
Lockyer's mapping of the lines, [310];
basic lines, [311];
objections to his hypothesis, [313].
Stahl, George Ernest, born at Anspach, [27];
enunciates the phlogistic theory, [27], [48];
his "primordial acid," [174];
his essential property of earths, [178].
Sulphur dioxide, discovered by Priestley, [66].
Sulphur salts, discovered by Berzelius, [161].
T
Transmutation, confuted by Lavoisier, [81].
Transpiration of gases, [242].
Types, [279].
V
Valentine, Basil, an alchemist, [15];
his views on alkalis, [174].
Van Helmont, [24].
Vitriols, [180].
Volta's electric pile, [184].
W
Water, its composition discovered by Cavendish, [68]-78;
nearly discovered by Priestley, [68];
confirmed by Lavoisier, [90];
decomposed by electricity, [185].
Weight of ultimate particles, [117], [132];
molecular and atomic, [145];
revision of atomic weights, [285].
Wöhler, his account of visit to Berzelius, [160], [204], [229];
studies cyanates with Liebig, [264];
results of his discovery as to urea, [265].
Wollaston, supports atomic theory, [130].