Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
The other leader of organic chemistry and another opponent of Berze-
lius' school was Dumas, whom Liebig met on his way back to Germany.
After an attempt to unite their forces, whether real or pretended, Liebig
decided that he would start alone the campaign to make chemistry more
popular. “You are powerful in Paris, but you have no influence else-
where in the world as long as you are not at the head of a journal. Paris
influence is little, to my opinion, regarding Europe.”
12
Back in Giessen,
Liebig was determined to become the leader and servant of chemistry
worldwide.
4.
1840: The Turning Point
In 1837, Liebig was still vigorous and enterprising in developing a new
fruitful system of organic chemistry, but this slightly changed in 1840.
His struggles became increasingly intense, leading to a rupture with
Dumas and damaged relations with Berzelius. His attempts to create a
new system based on radicals turned out to be impossible. “I am really
afraid of theoretical discussions.”
13
The first volume of his the
Traité
(1840), where compounds were studied and classified according to their
radicals, were followed by an outdated approach: acids, fatty compounds,
and dyes (Liebig 1840-44). The revolution that Liebig intended to start in
organic chemistry seemed impossible for the present. “The more I am
thinking about the constitution of organic compounds, the more I become
convinced that all our efforts are in vain to establish strong bases for a
theory.
14
He would “turn to a completely different side of the science”.
15
In 1840 he published two important publications of another type:
'Der Zustand der Chemie in Preussen' and
Die organische Chemie in
ihrer Anwendung auf Agricultur und Physiologie
('Organic Chemistry in
its Applications to Agriculture and Physiology', henceforth called
Agri-
cultural Chemistry
). First published in the
Annalen
, the first publication
would also be published as a booklet by Vieweg, on Liebig's demand:
Über das Studium der Naturwissenschaften
(1840, 'On the Study of Sci-
12
Liebig to Dumas, 18 March 1838.
13
Liebig to Berzelius, 28 July 1839.
14
Liebig to Berzelius, 10 March 1839.
15
Liebig to Berzelius, 26 Apr. 1840.
