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CHEMISTRY.
477
physics, especially on the theory of electricity; K. B. Hasselberg (born 1848;
professor at the Academy of Sciences, Stockholm), who has published careful works
on spectrum analysis; K. Ångström (born 1857; professor at Uppsala), who,
among other things, has published works on radiant heat and on the ultra red
spectrum; S. Arrhenius (born 1859; professor at the Private University of
Stockholm), who has published numerous works on physical chemistry and particularly
developed the theory of electrolytical dissociation; his discoveries were in 1903
coronated with one of the great Nobel prizes, that in chemistry; K. A. V.
Holmgren (born 1824; formerly professor at Lund); G. Lundqvist (born 1841;
professor of Mechanics at Uppsala; heat and light); A. Wijkander (born 1849;
professor at the Chalmers’ Polytechnical College in Gothenburg; terrestrial
magnetism); J. R. Rydberg (born 1854; spectrum analysis); C. Mebius (born 1854;
electricity); V. Carlheim-Gyllenskiöld (born 1859; terrestrial magnetism); E.
Solander (born 1862; terrestrial magnetism); and P. G. D. Granqvist (born
1866; electricity).
Chemistry.
As long as all opportunities of instruction in this subject were wanting in
Sweden, this branch of science there found only few and casual followers. During
the Era of the Political Greatness of Sweden, intercourse with foreign countries
growing more frequent, the taste for chemical research and an appreciation of its
value increased. Later, during the so-called »Era of Liberty», with its enthusiastic
promotion of manufactures, it was the mining proprietors and promotors especially
who busied themselves with chemical studies. Among the older chemists the
following are worthy of mention: J. Kunkel (1630/1703; summoned from
Rends-burg), who discovered and made known the method of producing phosphorus
— formerly a secret — and made many important chemico-technical discoveries,
more especially with regard to the manufacture of glass (bone glass, ruby glass);
U. Hjärne (1641/1724), who started investigating Swedish mineral waters and
turning them into account, more closely described formic acid, and observed and
tried to explain the increase in gravity of metals under calcination. At his
initiative Charles XI had a laboratory established, in 1685, at Stockholm, where,
at the expense of the State, experiments were carried out, especially on behalf of
the Royal Board of Mines. Hjärne himself was made the chief of this institution,
one of the first laboratories known to have been fitted up by a State grant; G.
Brandt (1694/1768), the discoverer of cobalt, and H. T. ’Scheffer (1710/59),
known for his investigation of platinum.
The establishing of the first Swedish Chair of Chemistry at Uppsala, in
1750, was the harbinger of a new period noticeable for a more systematic and
strictly scientific study of chemistry. The distinct practical bent of the foregoing
period showed itself also in this at the beginning, but in the middle of the
period pure chemistry also had its exponents of the highest rank. The phlogistic
view governed the theoretic treatment of the science. A characteristic feature
was the industry devoted to the development of blowpipe analysis.
Among chemists of distinction the following are deserving of mention, viz.
J. G. Wallerius (1709/85), the founder of agricultural chemistry; A. F.
Cronstedt (1722/65), the discoverer of nickel, and Bergman and Scheele, the first
of a series of eminent Swedish chemists. — T. O. Bergman (1735 84) laid the
foundation of the present doctrine of reagents and qualitative analysis in the wet
way, and carried out important preliminary studies also in the direction of
quantitative analysis; discovered the method of analyzing insoluble bodies by fusion with
alkaline carbonate, increased the application of blowpipe chemistry, attempted to
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