Medical chemistry could be subdivided in Chemia physiologica, which described the constituents and chemical processes in living bodies. This science was still
in its infancy, Bergman wrote, but advances in this area would lead to remarkable
progress in medicine. For example, extensive works had been written about the
generation of urinary calculi from lime, but chemists (actually himself and Scheele,
see Sect. 24.2) had not detected any lime in urinary calculi. The other part of
medical chemistry was Chemia pharmaceutica. This was the science of medications, including the science of mineral waters (Chap. 17) and of different gases for
medical use. Here, the reader is for the first time presented with a brief description
of oxygen, “the pure air”, which constitutes ¼ of the atmosphere. This value is
closer to the true value, 21%, than Scheele’s value of 1/3. It seems like Bergman
had determined the oxygen content of common air in his own laboratory.
One important object of Chemia oeconomica was to analyse the composition of
soils in order to know which crops were optimal to grow at a certain field. In
general, Bergman wrote, soils consist of clay, sand and sometimes lime, mixed with
decomposing remains after animals and plants. The different constituents had different properties: clay, for example, was good for retaining water. Although there
was much new knowledge, Bergman admitted that agriculture had made no progress since antiquity. Another field was the chemical processes involved in the
preparation of wine, syrup, starch, cheese, butter, sugar, wax, etc.
Chemia technica was a very broad field, which was further subdivided. Chemia
halurica was the chemistry of salts and their preparation. Chemia geurica was the
chemistry of earths and included the preparation of lime, bricks, pottery, glass and
porcelain. Chemia thejurica dealt with combustible materials such as sulphur,
phosphorus, oils, perfumes, alcohol and gunpowder. Since Bergman believed that
colour originated from phlogiston, this field also included pigments, dyes and inks.
A related subject was the art of making materials fire-proof. Wood could be treated
with clay while cloth and paper could be treated with potassium carbonate or alum.
Chemia metallurgica was the art of preparation and purification of metals and the
analysis of ores and metals by assaying. It also included the preparation of alloys,
soldering and plating. Chemica opificiaria, finally, dealt with leather, parchment,
wool, silk and linen and other materials and processes which were not entirely
based on chemistry. Bergman discussed etching, removal of stains from cloth and
protection of ship hulls from worms, and the disclosing of counterfeit wines and
other products. Chemistry had gained knowledge not only from chemists but also
from workshops and other businesses, and at the same time, chemistry could pay
back with new useful knowledge, Bergman wrote.
The second half of the text is devoted to the nature and properties of natural
bodies. On pondering over the vast diversity of natural bodies one cannot help but
wondering over the wisdom and power of the creator, Bergman wrote in the
introductory section. Bergman divided natural bodies into two main groups, organic
and inorganic bodies, the difference being that the former have a vascular system
for transporting fluids and supporting grows of the organism. Organic bodies could
be divided into animals and plants while inorganic bodies were divided into salts,
earths, combustible materials, metals, water and air.
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11 Bergman as a Teacher
in its infancy, Bergman wrote, but advances in this area would lead to remarkable
progress in medicine. For example, extensive works had been written about the
generation of urinary calculi from lime, but chemists (actually himself and Scheele,
see Sect. 24.2) had not detected any lime in urinary calculi. The other part of
medical chemistry was Chemia pharmaceutica. This was the science of medications, including the science of mineral waters (Chap. 17) and of different gases for
medical use. Here, the reader is for the first time presented with a brief description
of oxygen, “the pure air”, which constitutes ¼ of the atmosphere. This value is
closer to the true value, 21%, than Scheele’s value of 1/3. It seems like Bergman
had determined the oxygen content of common air in his own laboratory.
One important object of Chemia oeconomica was to analyse the composition of
soils in order to know which crops were optimal to grow at a certain field. In
general, Bergman wrote, soils consist of clay, sand and sometimes lime, mixed with
decomposing remains after animals and plants. The different constituents had different properties: clay, for example, was good for retaining water. Although there
was much new knowledge, Bergman admitted that agriculture had made no progress since antiquity. Another field was the chemical processes involved in the
preparation of wine, syrup, starch, cheese, butter, sugar, wax, etc.
Chemia technica was a very broad field, which was further subdivided. Chemia
halurica was the chemistry of salts and their preparation. Chemia geurica was the
chemistry of earths and included the preparation of lime, bricks, pottery, glass and
porcelain. Chemia thejurica dealt with combustible materials such as sulphur,
phosphorus, oils, perfumes, alcohol and gunpowder. Since Bergman believed that
colour originated from phlogiston, this field also included pigments, dyes and inks.
A related subject was the art of making materials fire-proof. Wood could be treated
with clay while cloth and paper could be treated with potassium carbonate or alum.
Chemia metallurgica was the art of preparation and purification of metals and the
analysis of ores and metals by assaying. It also included the preparation of alloys,
soldering and plating. Chemica opificiaria, finally, dealt with leather, parchment,
wool, silk and linen and other materials and processes which were not entirely
based on chemistry. Bergman discussed etching, removal of stains from cloth and
protection of ship hulls from worms, and the disclosing of counterfeit wines and
other products. Chemistry had gained knowledge not only from chemists but also
from workshops and other businesses, and at the same time, chemistry could pay
back with new useful knowledge, Bergman wrote.
The second half of the text is devoted to the nature and properties of natural
bodies. On pondering over the vast diversity of natural bodies one cannot help but
wondering over the wisdom and power of the creator, Bergman wrote in the
introductory section. Bergman divided natural bodies into two main groups, organic
and inorganic bodies, the difference being that the former have a vascular system
for transporting fluids and supporting grows of the organism. Organic bodies could
be divided into animals and plants while inorganic bodies were divided into salts,
earths, combustible materials, metals, water and air.
168
11 Bergman as a Teacher