From the Archive...
'From the Archive' highlights the lives and works of notable chemists as well as items from the RSCs historical collection and archive.
2008
November: Linus Pauling's cold remedy
On 18th November, 1970, Linus Pauling suggested that large doses of vitamin C could help prevent the common cold.
October: Alfred Nobel receives his first patent
On October 14, 1863, Alfred Nobel received a patent for preparing nitroglycerin, this was the first of his 355 patents.
September: The making of cellulose esters
On 30th September, 1902, the 'making of cellulose esters' was patented by William H Walker, Arthur D Little and Harry S Mork.
August: Chemotherapy (Chemical Therapy)
On 31 August 1909, Paul Ehrlich discovers the first modern chemical therapy.
July 15th, 1869, margarine is patented in France.
The Hyatt Brothers' patent for solid collodion
On May 8th, 1794, Antoine Lavoisier was sentenced to death by the French Revolutionary Tribunal and executed by guillotine.
April: Hofmann discovers the effects of LSD
In April 1943, Albert Hofmann accidentally discovered the effects of LSD.
On March 20th 1987, the US FDA approved the use of the first major treatment for HIV/AIDS, AZT.
February: First meeting of the Chemical Society
The Chemical Society of London held its first organisational meeting in February 1841...
Besides being a time that many people endeavour to stop smoking, January is also the anniversary of a number of milestones related to nicotine and the tobacco industry...
2007
December: £25 Amazon vouchers for identifying the unknown gentlemen
The RSC library has uncovered some paintings and a bust of 3 people we are unable to identify and are offering £25 Amazon vouchers for any suggestions leading to a positive ID.
November: Dalton's reads his paper on atmospheric gases
November 12th, 1802 - John Dalton reads his paper on atmospheric gases mentioning the first example of the law of multiple proportions.
October: The advent of painless surgery
October 16, 1846 - Dr William Thomas Green Morton makes the first public demonstration of the use of ether as an anaesthetic.
September: The discovery of 'animalcules'
September 17th, 1683 - Dutch scientist Antoni van Leeuwenhoek writes to the Royal Society describing his discovery of microscopic living 'animalcules'.
On August 10th, 1897, Dr Felix Hoffmann successfully created what was later to become known as aspirin.
July: Balard discovers bromine
Antoine-Jerome Balard discovers a substance which he recognized as a previously unknown element, naming it bromine.
Gay-Lussac & Thenard isolate Boron days before Humphry Davy
May: Ramsay and Travers Discover Krypton
William Ramsay and Morris Travers discovered the element Krypton on 31st May, 1898...
April: Humphry Davy Tests Nitrous Oxide
On 17th April 1799, Humphry Davy performed an experiment to test the effects of breathing in nitrous oxide.
March/April: Pasteur & Bernard Test Pasteurisation
On March 3rd, 1862, Louis Pasteur and Claude Bernard initiated a process to test pasteurisation.
Chemistry World - Historical Chemistry Articles
Please note, Chemistry World content is only accessible to RSC members - you will be required to log in to access these articles.
The woman that inspired Faraday
Jane Marcet wrote what was to become one of history's most important chemistry books. Hazel Rossotti dips into her pioneering 'Conversations on Chemistry'
Marcellin Berthelot was a man of many talents, combining ground breaking chemical research with a busy and successful political career, as Mike Sutton finds out
