two princes visited the Professor of economy, Anders Berch, at the Department of
Economy, Theatrum oeconomico-mechanicum. At about 8 p.m. they arrived at
Laboratorium chemicum. Although Bergman had only known Scheele for a few
weeks at most, it is generally agreed that Scheele appeared as Bergman’s assistant.
The source is a manuscript attributed to apothecary Helwig in Stralsund, a friend of
both Scheele and his family [23]. According to Helwig, Heinrich was accompanied
by the Duke of Södermanland, and consequently it has usually been supposed that
he was accompanied by Prince Charles (Karl) who would become King Charles
XIII (Karl XIII) in 1809. This is obviously wrong, as Charles did not become Duke
until 1772, and spent the autumn of 1770 abroad [24]. Apparently, Wallerius was in
the audience, probably hoping that Bergman would reveal his scarce knowledge in
chemistry and embarrass himself. Bergman wrote to Gahn: “Both W [almost certainly Wallerius] and V arrived quite early, but I have been told by several [people],
who had better opportunity than I to watch [them], that they finally left with very
dissatisfied faces”. An article in Allmänna Tidningar (Public Newspaper) from
September 20 gives a clear account of the event. Bergman first showed a number of
experiments. He demonstrated mixtures that “gave off quite elastic fumes” that
exploded on ignition by the flame of a candle, and continued to burn for quite some
time. This seems to have been hydrogen. He also showed mixtures that ignited
spontaneously, and a mixture of which a pinch was heated on a metal sheet over a
flame and exploded with such violence that the sheet was broken. This was
probably a mixture of potassium nitrate, potassium carbonate and sulphur. After
these spectacular experiments which would have caught the interest of the audience,
Bergman turned to more practical matters and demonstrated how ores and metals
could be examined with the aid of the blow-pipe (Sect. 23.5). This would have
convinced the princes of the importance and usefulness of chemistry. Next, the two
princes were taken to the Gallery, where the most spectacular specimens from the
mineral collection were demonstrated. Bergman had planned the display carefully
and placed two white wax candles on each cupboard for the visual effect [25].
Gustav and Heinrich left Bergman at 10 p.m. for a dinner with the Bishop. The
following day, the two princes spent an hour in the Cathedral, made a trip to the
Viking age tumuli at Old Uppsala 5 km from the city centre and on the way back
they visited the botanical garden and the astronomical observatory. They left
Uppsala at 2 p.m. Thus, a considerable part of the visit was devoted to Bergman’s
laboratory and Gustav seems to have attributed it great importance compared to the
other items on the schedule. This is likely a clear evidence of Gustav’s appreciation
for (and expectations of) Bergman.
References
1. Sjöstén CG (1801) Åminnelse-tal, hållit för Kongl. Vetenskaps Academien öfver dess
framledne ledamot herr Carl Vilhelm Scheele, den 14 oct. 1799. Stockholm, p 15
2. Boklund U (1959) När Gahn upptäckte Scheele på Lokks apotek. Lychnos, 217–222
3. Trofast J (1994) Johan Gottlieb Gahn brev, vol 2, Lund, p 16
13.6 Prince Heinrich’s Visit
201
Economy, Theatrum oeconomico-mechanicum. At about 8 p.m. they arrived at
Laboratorium chemicum. Although Bergman had only known Scheele for a few
weeks at most, it is generally agreed that Scheele appeared as Bergman’s assistant.
The source is a manuscript attributed to apothecary Helwig in Stralsund, a friend of
both Scheele and his family [23]. According to Helwig, Heinrich was accompanied
by the Duke of Södermanland, and consequently it has usually been supposed that
he was accompanied by Prince Charles (Karl) who would become King Charles
XIII (Karl XIII) in 1809. This is obviously wrong, as Charles did not become Duke
until 1772, and spent the autumn of 1770 abroad [24]. Apparently, Wallerius was in
the audience, probably hoping that Bergman would reveal his scarce knowledge in
chemistry and embarrass himself. Bergman wrote to Gahn: “Both W [almost certainly Wallerius] and V arrived quite early, but I have been told by several [people],
who had better opportunity than I to watch [them], that they finally left with very
dissatisfied faces”. An article in Allmänna Tidningar (Public Newspaper) from
September 20 gives a clear account of the event. Bergman first showed a number of
experiments. He demonstrated mixtures that “gave off quite elastic fumes” that
exploded on ignition by the flame of a candle, and continued to burn for quite some
time. This seems to have been hydrogen. He also showed mixtures that ignited
spontaneously, and a mixture of which a pinch was heated on a metal sheet over a
flame and exploded with such violence that the sheet was broken. This was
probably a mixture of potassium nitrate, potassium carbonate and sulphur. After
these spectacular experiments which would have caught the interest of the audience,
Bergman turned to more practical matters and demonstrated how ores and metals
could be examined with the aid of the blow-pipe (Sect. 23.5). This would have
convinced the princes of the importance and usefulness of chemistry. Next, the two
princes were taken to the Gallery, where the most spectacular specimens from the
mineral collection were demonstrated. Bergman had planned the display carefully
and placed two white wax candles on each cupboard for the visual effect [25].
Gustav and Heinrich left Bergman at 10 p.m. for a dinner with the Bishop. The
following day, the two princes spent an hour in the Cathedral, made a trip to the
Viking age tumuli at Old Uppsala 5 km from the city centre and on the way back
they visited the botanical garden and the astronomical observatory. They left
Uppsala at 2 p.m. Thus, a considerable part of the visit was devoted to Bergman’s
laboratory and Gustav seems to have attributed it great importance compared to the
other items on the schedule. This is likely a clear evidence of Gustav’s appreciation
for (and expectations of) Bergman.
References
1. Sjöstén CG (1801) Åminnelse-tal, hållit för Kongl. Vetenskaps Academien öfver dess
framledne ledamot herr Carl Vilhelm Scheele, den 14 oct. 1799. Stockholm, p 15
2. Boklund U (1959) När Gahn upptäckte Scheele på Lokks apotek. Lychnos, 217–222
3. Trofast J (1994) Johan Gottlieb Gahn brev, vol 2, Lund, p 16
13.6 Prince Heinrich’s Visit
201