It was Hiärne’s water analysis that established Medevi as the first Swedish spa
(Sect. 17.1). Bergman would refine the analysis of the water (Sect. 17.2), and it was
to Medevi that Bergman made his last trip in hope of curing his health. Hiärne died
in 1722.
Laboratorium chymicum was reopened by Georg Brandt (1694–1768), who was
awarded a scholarship from the Board of Mines in 1721 to study chemistry in
Leiden with the celebrated Herman Boerhaave. Under Brandt, Laboratorium chymicum became the place of choice for mining students who wanted some knowledge of chemistry. Bergman, who held the memorial lecture over Brandt in the
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, described Brandt as a very hard working man
who lived a very quiet and simple life [4]. As a chemist, Brandt strongly believed
that chemistry should be based on mathematics [5], an idea that was hard to realise
given the state of chemical knowledge in the early eighteenth century, but which
Bergman would do his best to put into practice. Today, Brandt is best remembered
for his 1735 discovery of cobalt [6], the first new metal discovered for over a
thousand years. Brandt was succeeded by Gustaf von Engeström (1738–1813;
Sect. 9.6), who would become one of Bergman’s main opponents.
The main chemical competence in Sweden during the first half of the eighteenth
century was connected to the Board of Mines. Anton von Swab (1702–1768;
Fig. 9.2) was born in the mining city of Falun and thus came in early contact with
mining as did his half-brother Anders Swab (1681–1731). Anton von Swab published a number of papers on mineralogy and mining in the Transactions of the
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Daniel Tilas (1712–1772) was a grand-child
of Urban Hiärne. His main interests were in geology and mineralogy and his views
are best summarised in two lectures given in the Royal Swedish Academy of
Sciences in 1742 [7] and 1765 [8]. His view in 1742 was that all rocks had formed
during the third day of the Creation, but that a redistribution had occurred during
the Deluge. He also supported the alchemical idea that noble metals gradually
formed in minerals.
Sven Rinman (1720–1792) not only published several important handbooks on
mining and metallurgy but also wrote papers on chemical analysis of minerals. Two
important figures in the early history of Swedish chemistry had recently died when
Bergman entered the scene. Henrik Theophil Scheffer (1710–1759) belonged to a
noble family, members of which were influential politicians in the eighteenth
century. From 1748, he ran a private laboratory in Stockholm where he gave private
lectures and performed chemical investigations for his customers. His investigation
on platinum [9] established platinum as a new metal rather than a form of gold or
silver, as was commonly believed. Additional investigations of platinum were
performed by Bergman (Sect. 15.6). Bergman also published Scheffer’s lecture
notes and used them in his own teaching (Sect. 11.1). In the preface of this book,
Bergman, who never met Scheffer, relates a story that von Swab had told him
several times. Apparently, Scheffer was rather hot tempered, and when von Swab
9 Bergman Becomes a Chemist
111
(Sect. 17.1). Bergman would refine the analysis of the water (Sect. 17.2), and it was
to Medevi that Bergman made his last trip in hope of curing his health. Hiärne died
in 1722.
Laboratorium chymicum was reopened by Georg Brandt (1694–1768), who was
awarded a scholarship from the Board of Mines in 1721 to study chemistry in
Leiden with the celebrated Herman Boerhaave. Under Brandt, Laboratorium chymicum became the place of choice for mining students who wanted some knowledge of chemistry. Bergman, who held the memorial lecture over Brandt in the
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, described Brandt as a very hard working man
who lived a very quiet and simple life [4]. As a chemist, Brandt strongly believed
that chemistry should be based on mathematics [5], an idea that was hard to realise
given the state of chemical knowledge in the early eighteenth century, but which
Bergman would do his best to put into practice. Today, Brandt is best remembered
for his 1735 discovery of cobalt [6], the first new metal discovered for over a
thousand years. Brandt was succeeded by Gustaf von Engeström (1738–1813;
Sect. 9.6), who would become one of Bergman’s main opponents.
The main chemical competence in Sweden during the first half of the eighteenth
century was connected to the Board of Mines. Anton von Swab (1702–1768;
Fig. 9.2) was born in the mining city of Falun and thus came in early contact with
mining as did his half-brother Anders Swab (1681–1731). Anton von Swab published a number of papers on mineralogy and mining in the Transactions of the
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Daniel Tilas (1712–1772) was a grand-child
of Urban Hiärne. His main interests were in geology and mineralogy and his views
are best summarised in two lectures given in the Royal Swedish Academy of
Sciences in 1742 [7] and 1765 [8]. His view in 1742 was that all rocks had formed
during the third day of the Creation, but that a redistribution had occurred during
the Deluge. He also supported the alchemical idea that noble metals gradually
formed in minerals.
Sven Rinman (1720–1792) not only published several important handbooks on
mining and metallurgy but also wrote papers on chemical analysis of minerals. Two
important figures in the early history of Swedish chemistry had recently died when
Bergman entered the scene. Henrik Theophil Scheffer (1710–1759) belonged to a
noble family, members of which were influential politicians in the eighteenth
century. From 1748, he ran a private laboratory in Stockholm where he gave private
lectures and performed chemical investigations for his customers. His investigation
on platinum [9] established platinum as a new metal rather than a form of gold or
silver, as was commonly believed. Additional investigations of platinum were
performed by Bergman (Sect. 15.6). Bergman also published Scheffer’s lecture
notes and used them in his own teaching (Sect. 11.1). In the preface of this book,
Bergman, who never met Scheffer, relates a story that von Swab had told him
several times. Apparently, Scheffer was rather hot tempered, and when von Swab
9 Bergman Becomes a Chemist
111