26.7 The Contributions of de Morveau 1780–1782
In 1777, de Morveau contributed with an article called Hépar in a supplemental
volume of Diderot’s and d’Alembert’s influential Encyclopédie. Here, he criticised
the term liver of sulphur, an old name for potassium polysulphide and suggested the
Latin word hepar to avoid confusion. This criticism was by no means novel but
indicates that de Morveau had an interest in nomenclature. In 1779, de Morveau
came into contact with the first volume of Bergman’s Opuscula. He was apparently
very impressed and wrote to Bergman that summer and asked for permission to
translate it to French [24]. The first letter is followed by another two letters the same
year, five letters 1780, three letters 1781, one letter 1782 and two letters 1783 and
1784, respectively [25]. de Morveau even learned Swedish in order to be able to
read Bergman’s works [26], and his wife and fellow chemist Claudine Picardet
(1735–1820), translated Scheele’s works to French in 1785.
de Morveau’s French translation of the first volume of Bergman’s Opuscula
appeared the following year including French translations of Bergman’s chemical
names. In a note to the translation of the dissertation on Magnesia alba, he recommended the widespread use of the new nomenclature [27]. Following his
translation of Bergman’s Opuscula, de Morveau took on an active role in the
discussions of nomenclature. In 1781, he criticised the term terre absorbante, a
view he had to defend against Romé de l’Isle [28].
In May 1782, de Morveau published an important paper on chemical nomenclature [29]. The subject was of course controversial, but de Morveau disarmed the
critics by inviting to a scientific discussion rather than trying to change the chemical
nomenclature single-handed [30]. In this paper, de Morveau identified five principles for a new nomenclature [31, 32]:
(1) “A phrase is not a name”. A substance should have a unique name.
(2) “Denominations should, as far as possible, conform to the nature of things”.
He repeated the opinion held by Macquer and Bergman that all sulphates
should have a name including vitriol, etc. Simple substances should have
simple names; the names should only express the chemical constituents of the
substance and not the name its discoverer.
(3) “When certain knowledge is lacking of the character which should principally
determine the denomination, a name which expresses nothing should be preferred to a name which could express a false idea”.
(4) Names should preferably be derived from Latin or Greek. de Morveau was
unsatisfied with the term terra pesante (heavy earth) for barium oxide, as it had
not been proved that it was heavier than other earths. He suggested the term
barote from the Greek word bάqor1 = heavy, hence our modern name barium.
(5) The names should fit into the language for which they are intended.
In addition to introducing the name barote, de Morveau also introduced
one-word names for the alkalis: potasse, soude and ammoniac. These words have
given rise to the modern English names potassium and sodium. Although not new,
360
26 Bergman’s Contribution to Chemical Nomenclature
In 1777, de Morveau contributed with an article called Hépar in a supplemental
volume of Diderot’s and d’Alembert’s influential Encyclopédie. Here, he criticised
the term liver of sulphur, an old name for potassium polysulphide and suggested the
Latin word hepar to avoid confusion. This criticism was by no means novel but
indicates that de Morveau had an interest in nomenclature. In 1779, de Morveau
came into contact with the first volume of Bergman’s Opuscula. He was apparently
very impressed and wrote to Bergman that summer and asked for permission to
translate it to French [24]. The first letter is followed by another two letters the same
year, five letters 1780, three letters 1781, one letter 1782 and two letters 1783 and
1784, respectively [25]. de Morveau even learned Swedish in order to be able to
read Bergman’s works [26], and his wife and fellow chemist Claudine Picardet
(1735–1820), translated Scheele’s works to French in 1785.
de Morveau’s French translation of the first volume of Bergman’s Opuscula
appeared the following year including French translations of Bergman’s chemical
names. In a note to the translation of the dissertation on Magnesia alba, he recommended the widespread use of the new nomenclature [27]. Following his
translation of Bergman’s Opuscula, de Morveau took on an active role in the
discussions of nomenclature. In 1781, he criticised the term terre absorbante, a
view he had to defend against Romé de l’Isle [28].
In May 1782, de Morveau published an important paper on chemical nomenclature [29]. The subject was of course controversial, but de Morveau disarmed the
critics by inviting to a scientific discussion rather than trying to change the chemical
nomenclature single-handed [30]. In this paper, de Morveau identified five principles for a new nomenclature [31, 32]:
(1) “A phrase is not a name”. A substance should have a unique name.
(2) “Denominations should, as far as possible, conform to the nature of things”.
He repeated the opinion held by Macquer and Bergman that all sulphates
should have a name including vitriol, etc. Simple substances should have
simple names; the names should only express the chemical constituents of the
substance and not the name its discoverer.
(3) “When certain knowledge is lacking of the character which should principally
determine the denomination, a name which expresses nothing should be preferred to a name which could express a false idea”.
(4) Names should preferably be derived from Latin or Greek. de Morveau was
unsatisfied with the term terra pesante (heavy earth) for barium oxide, as it had
not been proved that it was heavier than other earths. He suggested the term
barote from the Greek word bάqor1 = heavy, hence our modern name barium.
(5) The names should fit into the language for which they are intended.
In addition to introducing the name barote, de Morveau also introduced
one-word names for the alkalis: potasse, soude and ammoniac. These words have
given rise to the modern English names potassium and sodium. Although not new,
360
26 Bergman’s Contribution to Chemical Nomenclature