From Alchemy to Chemistry"Chemistry, in particular, is capable, when suitably presented, of making a strong appeal to the intelligence and the imagination; for, as the following pages are intended to show, it is the most romantic of all the branches of science; and in its variegated history, stretching back through unnumbered generations of alchemists into an indefinite past, its present votaries have (if they but knew) a richly human and humanistic heritage." — from the Preface Written for the layman, this accessible history takes a broad, humanistic perspective, eschewing chemical equations and formulae. Instead it concentrates on the great figures of chemistry and the ideas that revolutionized the science, from earliest history to the modern era. Much of the book is devoted to alchemy and such topics as the philosopher's stone, alchemical crypticism and symbolism, pseudo-alchemists, Paracelsus, and the "swan song" of alchemy as the scientific revolution took hold. In the final chapters, the author takes up the development of modern chemistry, including atomic theory, the nature of the elements, the beginning of organic chemistry, and more. Broad in scope, erudite yet readable, this rich and absorbing narrative will appeal to anyone interested in the long and colorful history of chemical science. Glossary. 50 illustrations. |
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Contents
THE PHILOSOPHERS STONE | 28 |
ALCHEMICAL CRYPTICISM AND SYMBOLISM | 41 |
STRANDS IN THE ALCHEMICal Web | 58 |
THE DIVERSITY OF ALCHEMISTS | 72 |
CHAPTER VII | 84 |
THE PARTING OF THE WAYS | 95 |
THE SWAN SONG OF ALCHEMY | 117 |
THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN CHEMISTRY | 145 |
THE RISE OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | 165 |
GLOSSARY | 194 |
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Common terms and phrases
acid adepts alchemists alchemy ancient ancient Egypt antimony Atomic Theory atomic weights Basil Valentine Basilius became Berzelius Black body Boyle calcination called carbon atom Cavendish chemical chemist colour combustion conception contain cupel Dalton distillation earth Egypt electrons engraving experiments fire fixed air Flamel four elements gases gold heating Hermes Hermes Trismegistos Hermetic Humanism in Chemistry Humour and Humanism hydrogen iatro-chemists ideas illustrations inorganic Joseph Black Kekulé kind known laboratory later Lavoisier Lavoisier's Liebig materials mathematics matter medicine medieval metals methane Michael Maier modern chemistry molecular formula molecule mystical nature Nicholas Flamel Norton operations organic chemistry oxide oxygen Paracelsus particles Philosopher's Stone Philosophers phlogiston photographs polarised practical Priestley principles processes puffer Robert Boyle salt Scheele Sendivogius serpent seventeenth century significance silver sophic mercury sophic sulphur substances sulphur and sophic sulphur-mercury theory symbols things tion transmutation valency vessel words writings wrote