The development of chemistry, like that of the other fields of science and technology, has depended greatly upon the availability of instruments. Accordingly, the study of the history of instrumentation is a major area in any survey of the progress in this science. Recognizing this fact, the Division of the History of Chemistry of the American Chemical Society organized and held a very successful symposium on the history of chemical instrumentation during the Washington, D.C. National Meeting in 1979. Re~arks, both formal and informal, made during this symposium stressed points that soon...

The development of chemistry, like that of the other fields of science and technology, has depended greatly upon the availability of instruments. Accordingly, the study of the history of instrumentation is a major area in any survey of the progress in this science. Recognizing this fact, the Division of the History of Chemistry of the American Chemical Society organized and held a very successful symposium on the history of chemical instrumentation during the Washington, D.C. National Meeting in 1979. Re~arks, both formal and informal, made during this symposium stressed points that soon...

The Periodic Table of Elements hasn't always looked like it does now, a well-organized chart arranged by atomic number. In the mid-nineteenth century, chemists were of the belief that the elements should be sorted by atomic weight. However, the weights of many elements were calculated incorrectly, and over time it became clear that not only did the elements need rearranging, but that the periodic table contained many gaps and omissions: there were elements yet to be discovered, and the allure of finding one had scientists rushing to fill in the blanks. Supposed "discoveries" flooded...

This brief offers a novel vision of the city of Florence, tracing the development of chemistry via the biographies of its most illustrious chemists. It documents not only important scientific research that came from the hands of Galileo Galilei and the physicists who followed in his footsteps, but also the growth of new disciplines such as chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, and biochemistry. It recounts how, in the Middle Ages, chemistry began as an applied science that served to bolster the Florentine economy, particularly in the textile dyeing industry. Later, important scientific...

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.