and among the other chemistry books Scheele had access to were Lémery’s Cours
de chymie, Rothe’s Gründliche Anleitung zur Chymie and Boerhaave’s Elementa
chemiæ. It is said that Bauch wrote back to Scheele’s parents in Stralsund, worried
that his young apprentice would ruin his health by his frequent reading of books
which Bauch thought were too difficult for a 15-year-old boy [20].
In 1784, when Scheele was a famous chemist, he was contacted by Grünberg. In
his answer, Scheele wrote:
The first reason for that [i.e. his success] is you, my dear friend, as you already in the very
beginning of my education encouraged me to read Neumann’s Chemistry. Through the
reading I got a desire to do my own experiments; and I still remember so well how I mixed
oil of clove with fuming nitric acid in a small jar, and it immediately ignited;
8 I never told
anyone about it, but I can still see the unfortunate experiment for my eyes. [21]
At one point, his colleagues joked with him and placed fulminating powder
9 in
one of his bottles causing a violent explosion in the night [21]. It is quite remarkable
that Bauch tolerated Scheele’s experiments.
According to C. G. Helling, later apothecary in Lidköping, Scheele, already as
an apprentice, had accuired a remarkable knowledge in chemistry [22]. After finishing the education it was customary for the apprentice to stay some time as an
assistant at the pharmacy as a tribute to his master. When Bauch, aged 72, sold the
Unicorn pharmacy in 1765, Scheele took the opportunity to move on after 8 years
in Gothenburg. Bauch died from a stroke on August 18, 1766 and never experienced the fame of his apprentice.
References
1. Schück H (1916) Torbern Bergmans självbiografi, äldre svenska biografier 3–4, Uppsala, p 86
2. Bergman T (1779) Åminnelse-tal öfver…Högvälborne Friherren Herr Carl de Geer, Kongl.
Vetenskapakademien, Stockholm, p 27
3. Hjelm PJ (1786) Åminnelse-tal öfver…Herr Torbern Bergman, Stockholm p 10
4. Schück H (1916) Torbern Bergmans självbiografi, äldre svenska biografier 3–4, Uppsala, p 87
5. Schück H (1916) Torbern Bergmans självbiografi, äldre svenska biografier 3–4, Uppsala, p 88
6. Lindroth S (1978) Svensk lärdomshistoria. Frihetstiden. Norstedts, Stockholm, p 311
7. Lindberg SG (1956) Bengt Ferner, Svenskt biografiskt lexicon, vol 15, p 635
8. Hjelm PJ (1786) Åminnelse-tal öfver…Herr Torbern Bergman, Stockholm p 17
9. Bergman T (1756) Rön om Coccus aquaticus. Linn Faun. Suec. n. 725. KVA Handl 17: 199–
204
10. Hjelm PJ (1786) Åminnelse-tal öfver…Herr Torbern Bergman, Stockholm p 15
11. Bergman T (1757) Afhandling om iglar. KVA handl 18:304–314
12. Schück H (1916) Torbern Bergmans självbiografi, äldre svenska biografier 3–4, Uppsala, p 97
8
When a drop of eugenol, the main constituent of oil of clove, is mixed with a drop of fuming nitric
acid, it ignites with a bright flash. Scheele’s experiment was probably carried out on a much larger
scale.
9
Most likely a mixture of potassium nitrate, sulphur and sodium or potassium carbonate. On
heating, the carbonate yields a polysulphide with the sulphur, which in turn is ignited by potassium
nitrate.
4.2 Scheele’s Education in Gothenburg
55
de chymie, Rothe’s Gründliche Anleitung zur Chymie and Boerhaave’s Elementa
chemiæ. It is said that Bauch wrote back to Scheele’s parents in Stralsund, worried
that his young apprentice would ruin his health by his frequent reading of books
which Bauch thought were too difficult for a 15-year-old boy [20].
In 1784, when Scheele was a famous chemist, he was contacted by Grünberg. In
his answer, Scheele wrote:
The first reason for that [i.e. his success] is you, my dear friend, as you already in the very
beginning of my education encouraged me to read Neumann’s Chemistry. Through the
reading I got a desire to do my own experiments; and I still remember so well how I mixed
oil of clove with fuming nitric acid in a small jar, and it immediately ignited;
8 I never told
anyone about it, but I can still see the unfortunate experiment for my eyes. [21]
At one point, his colleagues joked with him and placed fulminating powder
9 in
one of his bottles causing a violent explosion in the night [21]. It is quite remarkable
that Bauch tolerated Scheele’s experiments.
According to C. G. Helling, later apothecary in Lidköping, Scheele, already as
an apprentice, had accuired a remarkable knowledge in chemistry [22]. After finishing the education it was customary for the apprentice to stay some time as an
assistant at the pharmacy as a tribute to his master. When Bauch, aged 72, sold the
Unicorn pharmacy in 1765, Scheele took the opportunity to move on after 8 years
in Gothenburg. Bauch died from a stroke on August 18, 1766 and never experienced the fame of his apprentice.
References
1. Schück H (1916) Torbern Bergmans självbiografi, äldre svenska biografier 3–4, Uppsala, p 86
2. Bergman T (1779) Åminnelse-tal öfver…Högvälborne Friherren Herr Carl de Geer, Kongl.
Vetenskapakademien, Stockholm, p 27
3. Hjelm PJ (1786) Åminnelse-tal öfver…Herr Torbern Bergman, Stockholm p 10
4. Schück H (1916) Torbern Bergmans självbiografi, äldre svenska biografier 3–4, Uppsala, p 87
5. Schück H (1916) Torbern Bergmans självbiografi, äldre svenska biografier 3–4, Uppsala, p 88
6. Lindroth S (1978) Svensk lärdomshistoria. Frihetstiden. Norstedts, Stockholm, p 311
7. Lindberg SG (1956) Bengt Ferner, Svenskt biografiskt lexicon, vol 15, p 635
8. Hjelm PJ (1786) Åminnelse-tal öfver…Herr Torbern Bergman, Stockholm p 17
9. Bergman T (1756) Rön om Coccus aquaticus. Linn Faun. Suec. n. 725. KVA Handl 17: 199–
204
10. Hjelm PJ (1786) Åminnelse-tal öfver…Herr Torbern Bergman, Stockholm p 15
11. Bergman T (1757) Afhandling om iglar. KVA handl 18:304–314
12. Schück H (1916) Torbern Bergmans självbiografi, äldre svenska biografier 3–4, Uppsala, p 97
8
When a drop of eugenol, the main constituent of oil of clove, is mixed with a drop of fuming nitric
acid, it ignites with a bright flash. Scheele’s experiment was probably carried out on a much larger
scale.
9
Most likely a mixture of potassium nitrate, sulphur and sodium or potassium carbonate. On
heating, the carbonate yields a polysulphide with the sulphur, which in turn is ignited by potassium
nitrate.
4.2 Scheele’s Education in Gothenburg
55