opposition from older professors, it was instead placed under the Philosophical
Faculty. Although not intended by Wallerius, this was important as it helped to
differentiate chemistry from medicine making chemistry a more independent
discipline.
On January 14, 1767, Wallerius had to retire due to poor health. He had more
and more hard of hearing, suffered from general weakness and vertigo [26]. In
addition, his private apartment in the laboratory building was not very comfortable
[26]. After his retirement, he became largely detached from the scientific community [27], but continued to perform agricultural experiments and served as
president of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for three months in 1783.
As a person, Wallerius was not always very diplomatic, to say the least, and his
autobiography [26] gives the impression of a rather bitter man. He had a tendency
to make enemies, although it seems that he and Linnaeus respected each other after
their first clash (they had, for example, their strong religiosity in common).
Unfortunately, however, he would come to regard Bergman as one of his main
enemies and he seems to have largely ignored Scheele. In the beginning of his
career, he had a few innovative ideas, such as his book Hydrologia, but towards the
end of his life, he became more conservative, as can be seen, for example, in his
attacks on Bergman and Scheele.
Wallerius’ chemical theories were very different from those that Bergman
eventually would develop. For instance, Wallerius believed the salts to be composed of water and earth, possibly in combination with a salty principle, Sal
principiale [28]. From earth and water, the general salt, sulphuric acid, was generated. Nitric acid was formed from sulphuric acid in combination with something
combustible, preferably from the vegetable kingdom. Sulphuric acid in combination
Fig. 9.5 Layout of Wallerius’ laboratory. The image is cropped and annotated. Uppsala
University Library
9.1 Wallerius—The First Chemistry Professor in Sweden
117
Faculty. Although not intended by Wallerius, this was important as it helped to
differentiate chemistry from medicine making chemistry a more independent
discipline.
On January 14, 1767, Wallerius had to retire due to poor health. He had more
and more hard of hearing, suffered from general weakness and vertigo [26]. In
addition, his private apartment in the laboratory building was not very comfortable
[26]. After his retirement, he became largely detached from the scientific community [27], but continued to perform agricultural experiments and served as
president of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for three months in 1783.
As a person, Wallerius was not always very diplomatic, to say the least, and his
autobiography [26] gives the impression of a rather bitter man. He had a tendency
to make enemies, although it seems that he and Linnaeus respected each other after
their first clash (they had, for example, their strong religiosity in common).
Unfortunately, however, he would come to regard Bergman as one of his main
enemies and he seems to have largely ignored Scheele. In the beginning of his
career, he had a few innovative ideas, such as his book Hydrologia, but towards the
end of his life, he became more conservative, as can be seen, for example, in his
attacks on Bergman and Scheele.
Wallerius’ chemical theories were very different from those that Bergman
eventually would develop. For instance, Wallerius believed the salts to be composed of water and earth, possibly in combination with a salty principle, Sal
principiale [28]. From earth and water, the general salt, sulphuric acid, was generated. Nitric acid was formed from sulphuric acid in combination with something
combustible, preferably from the vegetable kingdom. Sulphuric acid in combination
Fig. 9.5 Layout of Wallerius’ laboratory. The image is cropped and annotated. Uppsala
University Library
9.1 Wallerius—The First Chemistry Professor in Sweden
117