Growth into a Scientific Discipline: The Nineteenth Century - Important Figures of Analytical Chemistry from Germany in Brief Biographies - page 77

By his methods for the staining of blood cells (possibly triggered by his cousin
Carl Weigert, who in the 1870s initiated the staining of bacteria with aniline dyes ), he
revealed new categories of those and created a systematic testing schedule for blood
diagnosis. This comprised the leucocytes (he detected the granulocytes already in
his doctoral thesis), the differentiation of leucocytes and lymphocytes, as well as the
erythrocytes and their predecessors, and the invention of dry blood tests. For urine he
developed his diazo test for the differentiation of abdominal diseases ( Ehrlich reagent ).
Chemical reactions as the mechanism of the staining of tissues and microorgan-
isms obviously have been the conceptual basis of Ehrlich's search for substances
for the chemotherapeutic treatment of infections [ 251 ].
Also in the other fields of Ehrlich's activity, one recognizes his at this time
uncommon conviction of the prevalence of chemical affinities in the mechanisms
of biological processes and phenomena—immunity, infections, antisera and their
standardization, cancer research.
Although the target of disagreements with his theories, priority claims, anti-
semitic defamations, Ehrlich earned many honours during and after his lifetime,
e.g. Geheimrat , Geheimer Obermedizinalrat (1907), Grosse Goldene Medaille für
Wissenschaften . Many streets, institutions, schools, pharmacies and even a moon
crater have been named after him. Ehrlich is portrayed on a German post stamp
1954 and on the 200 DM banknote.
Additional information can be found at [ 252 - 257 ].
Anton Friedrich Robert B ehrend (born 17 December 1856, Hamburg-Harburg;
died 15 September 1926, Hanover)
After study of the first law year in Heidelberg, he stepped over in 1877 to natu-
ral sciences and then to chemistry in Leipzig and graduated there Dr. phil. (thesis
Über substituierte Sulfamide und Amidosulfonchloride ). Afterwards, he became
assistant at Ostwald's Institute of Physical Chemistry, obtaining habilitation in
1885, Privatdozent (Assistant Professor) at the Universität Leipzig 1885-1889.
He became then Professor of organic and physical chemistry at the Königliche
Technische Hochschule (Royal Technical College) Hannover (1894-1924).
Behrend (for portrait see Fig. 3.21 ) first worked on potentiometric titration
in Leipzig at Ostwald's institute and published the method as Elektrometrische
Analyse in 1893: titration of mercury-II-nitrate with potassium halogenides KCl,
KBr, KJ [ 258 ]. Later he invented a mercury electrode. Potentiometry was further
developed and published in 1897 by his coworker Wilhelm Böttger (born 1871,
see Chap. 4 of this topic).
Behrend published the synthesis of uric acid and its derivatives [ 259 ], proved
the purine structure of uric acid—contradicting Emil Fischer—and demonstrated
the rotational isomeric forms alpha and beta of glucose and its ring structure.
For further information see [ 32 , 260 - 262 ].
Wilhelm A utenrieth (born 1 April 1863, Langensteinbach/Baden; died 25
January 1926, Freiburg im Breisgau).
Autenrieth studied chemistry and pharmacy (Berlin and Freiburg) and gradu-
ated in Erlangen in 1888, habilitated in Freiburg in 1895 and was there appointed