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Justus von Liebig

Justus von Liebig

Justus von Liebig

The Chemical Gatekeeper
William H. Brock, University of Leicester
August 1997
Hardback
9780521562249
£127.00
GBP
Hardback
GBP
Paperback

    One of the founding fathers of organic chemistry and also a great teacher, the German scientist Justus von Liebig transformed scientific education, medical practice, and agriculture in Great Britain. William H. Brock's fresh interpretation of Liebig's stormy career shows how he moved chemistry into the sociopolitical marketplace, demonstrating its significance for society in food production, nutrition, and public health. Through his controversial ideas on artificial fertilizers and recycling, his theory of disease, and his stimulating suggestions concerning food and nutrition, he warned the world of the dangers of failing to recycle sewage or to replace soil nutrients. Liebig also played the role of an elder statesman of European science by commenting, via popular lectures and expansions of his readable Chemical Letters, on such issues as scientific methodology and materialism.

    Awards

    Winner of the Prize for the History of Justus-Liebig-University for the year 2000

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    Product details

    August 1997
    Hardback
    9780521562249
    394 pages
    235 × 160 × 32 mm
    0.685kg
    Available

    Table of Contents

    • Preface
    • 1. From pharmacy to chemistry
    • 2. Organic analysis and the Giessen Research School
    • 3. Liebig and organic chemistry, 1820–40
    • 4. Liebig and the British
    • 5. Liebig and commerce
    • 6. Liebig and the farmers: agricultural chemistry
    • 7. Liebig and the doctors: animal chemistry
    • 8. Liebig on toast: the chemistry of food
    • 9. Liebig and London: the chemistry of sewage
    • 10. Populariser of science: chemical letters
    • 11. Philosopher of science: the Bacon Affair
    • 12. Death and assessment
    • Appendices
    • Bibliography
    • Index.
      Author
    • William H. Brock , University of Leicester