In Inventing Chemistry, historian John C. Powers turns his attention to Herman Boerhaave (1668–1738), a Dutch medical and chemical professor whose work reached a wide, educated audience and became the template for chemical knowledge in the eighteenth century. The primary focus of this study is Boerhaave’s educational philosophy, and Powers traces its development from Boerhaave’s early days as a student in Leiden through his publication of the Elementa chemiae in 1732. Powers reveals how Boerhaave restructured and reinterpreted various practices from diverse chemical traditions (including craft chemistry, Paracelsian medical chemistry, and alchemy), shaping them into a chemical course that conformed to the pedagogical and philosophical norms of Leiden University’s medical faculty. In doing so, Boerhaave gave his chemistry a coherent organizational structure and philosophical foundation and thus transformed an artisanal practice into an academic discipline. Inventing Chemistry is essential reading for historians of chemistry, medicine, and academic life.
This book covers the protection of chemical inventions by means of Patents and Utility Models, as well as Supplementary Protection Certificates (SPCs) for medicaments and agrochemicals. The jurisdiction of both the European Patent Office and the relevant German Courts which has been developed in recent decades is presented and explained in a comparative manner. It is the first English edition of a book which has become a standard companion for Patent Practitioners in the field of Chemistry in German speaking countries. The material prerequisites of patentability such as novelty, inventive step and sufficiency are comprehensively discussed. Further included is an overview on the examination proceeding before both the European and German Patent Offices. Special emphasis has been given to Chapters VII-IX, dealing with the issues of protective scope, infringement proceeding (national and crossborder) and the exhaustion of patent rights. The latest Case Law of the Appeal Boards of the European Patent Office, the German Federal Supreme Court and the Federal Patent Court has been taken into account. This book provides all the information necessary for the acquisition, the use and the enforcement of protective rights in the field of chemistry. The authors of the commentary are Dr. Bernd Hansen, a Munich-based Patent Attorney and Dr. Fritjoff Hirsch, a former Judge of the German Federal Patent Court.
First published in 1919. Tilden discusses a compilation of chemical discovery and invention to demonstrate the progress of chemistry in the early 20th century. Divided into 5 sections, chemical laboratories and the work done in them, modern discoveries and theories, modern applications of chemistry, and modern progress in organic chemistry, the author presents an overview of the subject. The final section of the book contains an account of important discoveries which find practical applications and provide new views of the constitution of the world in which we live.
Anyone who writes verse, whether lyric poet, songwriter or composer of limericks or jingles, will find The Penguin Rhyming Dictionary an indispensable reference companion. Clearly arranged and easy to use, it offers an astonishingly wide range of suggestions for rhyming words, from the common and everyday to the more difficult and obscure. Unlike many of its predecessors it is not merely organized according to the spelling of words but is based on phonetic principles. Hence, rhymes such as trite, indict, and Fahrenheit, can be found together in the one group whereas words such as bough, cough and rough are not falsely forced together.
Hypatia was a Greek mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher who invented the hydrometer in about 400 AD. Described as a charismatic teacher, she was seen as an evil symbol of the pagan science of learning and she was eventually murdered by Christian zealots. For many women in years gone by, the invention process was fraught with danger and difficulty. Not only did they face the hardship and obstacles of inventing, they also had to contend with the sexism and gender discrimination of a male world that believed women had nothing to contribute. Scientific women came to the fore with momentous innovations which were impossible for men to ignore. During World War Two, Austrian actress Hedy Lamarr became a pioneer in wireless communications, developing a “Secret Communications System.” More recently, 20-year-old Ann Makosinski has invented the ingenious Hollow Flashlight which converts radiant body heat into electricity. Meanwhile other women continued inventing in the domestic sphere with Miracle Mops, long-lasting lipsticks, and magic knickers. In every walk of twenty-first century life women have been challenging themselves (and men) to shape the way we live. Some of the incredible innovators featured include Myra Juliet Farrell, Sally Fox, Rosalind Franklin, Helen Murray, Anna Pavlova, Mária Telkes, Giuliana Tesoro, Halldis Aalvik Thune, Ann Tsukamoto, Margaret A. Wilcox, Ada Lovelace, and many more. The 150 remarkable women in this book show all too clearly that not only can invention no longer be described as a male dominated domain but that a woman’s inspiration and ingenuity will probably be driving the life-changing ideas of tomorrow’s world.
Polymer science is central to material and intellectual life in the 20th century. Polymer chemistry and engineering have led not only to such substances as synthetic fibers, synthetic rubber, and plastic, but also to discoveries about proteins, DNA, and other biological compounds that have revolutionized Western medicine. In Inventing Polymer Science, Yasu Furukawa explores the history of modern polymer science by tracing its emergence from macromolecular chemistry, its true beginning. Furukawa's lively book gains human interest through its focus on two central figures, Hermann Staudinger and Wallace Carothers. He examines the origins and development of their scientific work, illuminates their different styles in research and professional activities, and contrasts the peculiar institutional and social milieux in which they pursued their goals. In the process he provides us with a richly contextualized history of the emergence of macromolecular chemistry.
The story of this little-known Dutch physician “will interest students and practitioners of history, chemistry, and philosophy of science” (Choice). In Inventing Chemistry, historian John C. Powers turns his attention to Herman Boerhaave (1668–1738), a Dutch medical and chemical professor whose work reached a wide, educated audience and became the template for chemical knowledge in the eighteenth century. The primary focus of this study is Boerhaave’s educational philosophy, and Powers traces its development from Boerhaave’s early days as a student in Leiden through his publication of the Elementa chemiae in 1732. Powers reveals how Boerhaave restructured and reinterpreted various practices from diverse chemical traditions (including craft chemistry, Paracelsian medical chemistry, and alchemy), shaping them into a chemical course that conformed to the pedagogical and philosophical norms of Leiden University’s medical faculty. In doing so, Boerhaave gave his chemistry a coherent organizational structure and philosophical foundation, and thus transformed an artisanal practice into an academic discipline. Inventing Chemistry is essential reading for historians of chemistry, medicine, and academic life.
This Brief documents the life, discoveries and inventions of the chemist Carl Auer von Welsbach. Particular attention is given to his pioneering work on the rare earth elements, including the discovery of four new elements, which allowed him to develop new materials, to invent new useful devices and to establish major industries. From the invention of the incandescent gas mantle and first electric incandescent lamps with metal filaments to the first mass production of radium from pitchblende residues, readers will learn the story of his notable legacy to the word through the lens of his rare earths knowledge.