The same holds for Bergman and Scheele; both made a number of important
discoveries that placed them among the most respected chemists of their time. For
instance, Bergman is mentioned 15 times and Scheele 14 times in Lavoisier’s
classical textbook Elements of Chemistry, although they belonged to the phlogistic
school.
7
The research of Bergman and Scheele, although often tightly linked, are quite
different. Most of Scheele’s papers focused on the investigation of a single substance or material, such as a mineral or a drug. These investigations led him to the
discovery of several new (what we call) chemical elements and a number of organic
substances. The most important exceptions from this approach are his extensive
investigations of air and combustion that lead to his discovery of oxygen. Bergman,
on the other hand, rarely focused on individual chemical substances, but searched
for larger contexts. The main exception was his thorough investigation of carbon
dioxide, which led to the discovery of its acidic properties. In his published works,
Scheele paid much closer attention to experimental detail, meaning that his
experiments are easily reproduced. This is not always the case with Bergman’s
work.
Scheele’s contributions to science are still widely recognised. He is best known
as co-discoverer of oxygen, discoverer of chlorine and for his isolation of several
organic acids. His contribution to the discovery of manganese, barium, molybdenum and tungsten, on the other hand, deserves more recognition. In these cases,
Scheele was the first to distinguish their compounds from the compounds of other
metals and to study these compounds in detail. Metallic molybdenum, for instance,
was isolated by Hjelm, but on Scheele’s request and using a sample of molybdic
acid provided by Scheele. Although Scheele and his contemporaries had no means
of isolating metallic barium, Scheele suspected that barium oxide could be reduced
to a metal.
Bergman’s contributions to science are not as widely recognised as one could
wish. Following the steps of Marggraf, he laid the foundations of analytical
chemistry, and his work on the quantitative composition of chemical substances
was instrumental for the formulation of the laws of stoichiometry and the atomic
theory that would transform chemistry in the early nineteenth century. It was also
Bergman who created the first system of rational chemical nomenclature. Unfortunately, Bergman died young and others perfected his theories and methods and
received the credit. Bergman’s contributions to geology and crystallography are
also usually overlooked.
7
To put this in perspective, the name Mar(g)graf appears 5 times, Macquer 7 times, Priestley 6
times, Morveau 18 times, Kirwan 5 times, Berthollet 23 times and Fourcroy 8 times. When the
name appears twice in close proximity, it has only been counted once.
28.8 How We Remember Bergman and Scheele
391
discoveries that placed them among the most respected chemists of their time. For
instance, Bergman is mentioned 15 times and Scheele 14 times in Lavoisier’s
classical textbook Elements of Chemistry, although they belonged to the phlogistic
school.
7
The research of Bergman and Scheele, although often tightly linked, are quite
different. Most of Scheele’s papers focused on the investigation of a single substance or material, such as a mineral or a drug. These investigations led him to the
discovery of several new (what we call) chemical elements and a number of organic
substances. The most important exceptions from this approach are his extensive
investigations of air and combustion that lead to his discovery of oxygen. Bergman,
on the other hand, rarely focused on individual chemical substances, but searched
for larger contexts. The main exception was his thorough investigation of carbon
dioxide, which led to the discovery of its acidic properties. In his published works,
Scheele paid much closer attention to experimental detail, meaning that his
experiments are easily reproduced. This is not always the case with Bergman’s
work.
Scheele’s contributions to science are still widely recognised. He is best known
as co-discoverer of oxygen, discoverer of chlorine and for his isolation of several
organic acids. His contribution to the discovery of manganese, barium, molybdenum and tungsten, on the other hand, deserves more recognition. In these cases,
Scheele was the first to distinguish their compounds from the compounds of other
metals and to study these compounds in detail. Metallic molybdenum, for instance,
was isolated by Hjelm, but on Scheele’s request and using a sample of molybdic
acid provided by Scheele. Although Scheele and his contemporaries had no means
of isolating metallic barium, Scheele suspected that barium oxide could be reduced
to a metal.
Bergman’s contributions to science are not as widely recognised as one could
wish. Following the steps of Marggraf, he laid the foundations of analytical
chemistry, and his work on the quantitative composition of chemical substances
was instrumental for the formulation of the laws of stoichiometry and the atomic
theory that would transform chemistry in the early nineteenth century. It was also
Bergman who created the first system of rational chemical nomenclature. Unfortunately, Bergman died young and others perfected his theories and methods and
received the credit. Bergman’s contributions to geology and crystallography are
also usually overlooked.
7
To put this in perspective, the name Mar(g)graf appears 5 times, Macquer 7 times, Priestley 6
times, Morveau 18 times, Kirwan 5 times, Berthollet 23 times and Fourcroy 8 times. When the
name appears twice in close proximity, it has only been counted once.
28.8 How We Remember Bergman and Scheele
391