present day. It is also the basis for preparative separation of elements, for instance,
the methods used by Marie Curie in her extraction of radium [56].
It is not unfair to call Bergman the father of analytical chemistry, as he summarised and organised the scattered information in the field and made several
important innovations. He introduced pure solution methods for chemical analysis
and, most importantly, he introduced gravimetry. Rather than reducing a silver ore
to silver, the silver could be precipitated as silver chloride and the silver content
calculated from the weight of the chloride. In many ways, Bergman’s analytical
works were imperfect, for instance, he never reported actual weights but adjusted all
results to give a sum of 100%. Although unknown at the time, several of the
substances used in Bergman’s quantitative work had varying compositions or had
varying water content, thus affecting the accuracy of Bergman’s work.
Not only did the progress in analytical chemistry at the end of the
eighteenth-century lead to knowledge about the composition of minerals and the
discovery of new elements, it also paved the way for the development of stoichiometry, the atomic theory, and the determination of atomic weights in the next
century. None of this work would have been possible if not someone had shown the
way.
References
1. Szabadváry F (1966) History of analytical chemistry. Pergamon Press, Oxford, p 71
2. Valentin B (1712) Letztes Testament darinnen die Geheime Bücher vom grossen Stein der
uralten Weisen, und anderen verborgenen Geheimnüssen der Natur… Strasbourg, p 244
3. Szabadváry F (1966) History of analytical chemistry. Pergamon Press, Oxford, p 28
4. Libavius A (1606) Commentariorum alchemiae, vol 2, p 139–192
5. Szabadváry F (1966) History of analytical chemistry. Pergamon Press, Oxford, p 30
6. Boyle R (1725) The philosophical works of the honourable Robert Boyle, J & W Innys,
J. Osborne and T. Longman, London, p 508
7. Boyle R (1725) The philosophical works of the honourable Robert Boyle, J & W Innys,
J. Osborne and T. Longman, London, p 506
8. Hoffmann F (1703) Methodus examinandi aquas salubres, Halle
9. Szabadváry F (1966) History of analytical chemistry. Pergamon Press, Oxford, p 31
10. Boyle R (1684) Short memoires for the natural experimental history of mineral waters,
Samuel Smith, London, p 81
11. Szabadváry F (1966) History of analytical chemistry. Pergamon Press, Oxford, p 34
12. Marg(g)raf S (1762) Opuscules chymiques de M. Margraf, vol 1, Paris, p 72–85
13. Marg(g)raf S (1762) Opuscules chymiques de M. Margraf, vol 2, Paris, p 132–192
14. Bergman T (1791) Physical and chemical essays, vol III, G, Mudie, J & J Fairbairn and
J. Evans, Edinburgh, p 225
15. Bergman T (1775) H. T. Scheffers Chemiske föreläsningar, rörande salter, jordarter, vatten,
fetmor, metaller och färgning, samlade, i ordning stälde och med anmärkningar utgifne af T.
B., M. Swederus, Uppsala, p 196
16. Partington JR (1957) A short history of chemistry. MacMillan & Co, London, p 153
17. Bergman T (1788) Physical and chemical essays, vol II, J. Murray, London, p 29
18. Homberg W (1699) Observation sur le quantité exacte des Sels Volatils Acides contenus dans
les differens Esprits Acides, Histoire de l’Academie Royale des Sciences 1:44–51
19. Cavendish H (1767) Experiments on Rathone-place water, Phil Trans 57:92–108
328
23 Bergman as an Analytical Chemist
the methods used by Marie Curie in her extraction of radium [56].
It is not unfair to call Bergman the father of analytical chemistry, as he summarised and organised the scattered information in the field and made several
important innovations. He introduced pure solution methods for chemical analysis
and, most importantly, he introduced gravimetry. Rather than reducing a silver ore
to silver, the silver could be precipitated as silver chloride and the silver content
calculated from the weight of the chloride. In many ways, Bergman’s analytical
works were imperfect, for instance, he never reported actual weights but adjusted all
results to give a sum of 100%. Although unknown at the time, several of the
substances used in Bergman’s quantitative work had varying compositions or had
varying water content, thus affecting the accuracy of Bergman’s work.
Not only did the progress in analytical chemistry at the end of the
eighteenth-century lead to knowledge about the composition of minerals and the
discovery of new elements, it also paved the way for the development of stoichiometry, the atomic theory, and the determination of atomic weights in the next
century. None of this work would have been possible if not someone had shown the
way.
References
1. Szabadváry F (1966) History of analytical chemistry. Pergamon Press, Oxford, p 71
2. Valentin B (1712) Letztes Testament darinnen die Geheime Bücher vom grossen Stein der
uralten Weisen, und anderen verborgenen Geheimnüssen der Natur… Strasbourg, p 244
3. Szabadváry F (1966) History of analytical chemistry. Pergamon Press, Oxford, p 28
4. Libavius A (1606) Commentariorum alchemiae, vol 2, p 139–192
5. Szabadváry F (1966) History of analytical chemistry. Pergamon Press, Oxford, p 30
6. Boyle R (1725) The philosophical works of the honourable Robert Boyle, J & W Innys,
J. Osborne and T. Longman, London, p 508
7. Boyle R (1725) The philosophical works of the honourable Robert Boyle, J & W Innys,
J. Osborne and T. Longman, London, p 506
8. Hoffmann F (1703) Methodus examinandi aquas salubres, Halle
9. Szabadváry F (1966) History of analytical chemistry. Pergamon Press, Oxford, p 31
10. Boyle R (1684) Short memoires for the natural experimental history of mineral waters,
Samuel Smith, London, p 81
11. Szabadváry F (1966) History of analytical chemistry. Pergamon Press, Oxford, p 34
12. Marg(g)raf S (1762) Opuscules chymiques de M. Margraf, vol 1, Paris, p 72–85
13. Marg(g)raf S (1762) Opuscules chymiques de M. Margraf, vol 2, Paris, p 132–192
14. Bergman T (1791) Physical and chemical essays, vol III, G, Mudie, J & J Fairbairn and
J. Evans, Edinburgh, p 225
15. Bergman T (1775) H. T. Scheffers Chemiske föreläsningar, rörande salter, jordarter, vatten,
fetmor, metaller och färgning, samlade, i ordning stälde och med anmärkningar utgifne af T.
B., M. Swederus, Uppsala, p 196
16. Partington JR (1957) A short history of chemistry. MacMillan & Co, London, p 153
17. Bergman T (1788) Physical and chemical essays, vol II, J. Murray, London, p 29
18. Homberg W (1699) Observation sur le quantité exacte des Sels Volatils Acides contenus dans
les differens Esprits Acides, Histoire de l’Academie Royale des Sciences 1:44–51
19. Cavendish H (1767) Experiments on Rathone-place water, Phil Trans 57:92–108
328
23 Bergman as an Analytical Chemist