542 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



befriend and guide him. He attended the lectures on botany, zoology, 

 mineralogy, physics, and anatomy, and began during the winter to 

 perform dissections. But chemistry continued to be his favorite 

 study, and, much to the disgust of his landlord, he transformed his 

 parlor into a laboratory, and occupied himself with the study of sulpho- 

 cyanic acid and cyanogen compounds in general. He discovered iodide 

 of cyanogen, for to him at least it was a discovery, as he was not aware 

 at the time that Davy had previously prepared it. In the joy of his 

 heart he communicated the discovery to Wurzer, the Professor of 

 Chemistry at Marburg, to whom it was also new, but, instead of receiv- 

 ing commendation, he was reprimanded for neglecting his medical 

 studies to carry on original investigations. After spending one year 

 at Marburg, Wohler went to Heidelberg, filled with enthusiasm for 

 Leopold Gmelin, who became his most chei'ished friend and master. 

 He wished to attend Gmelin's lectures on chemistry, but was told by 

 that professor that it was superfluous, and he accordingly abandoned 

 the idea, and thus secured more time for work in Gmelin's laboratory 

 and for intimate personal intercourse with this amiable and learned 

 man. 



Nearly all the time which his medical studies left him he devoted 

 to chemistry, and even toward the close of his course, when practical 

 medicine became very absorbing, he still continued to spend several 

 hours daily in the laboratory. He resumed his researches on sulpho- 

 cyanic acid at Heidelberg, and commenced those on cyanic acid, the 

 results of which, at Gmelin's solicitation, were published in Gilbert's 

 " Annalen." It was of great service to Wohler at this time that Gmelin 

 and Tiedemann were engaged upon their physiological researches, thus 

 encouraging him to a similar line of study. He enjoyed to a high 

 degree the esteem of Tiedemann, and owes to this excellent man the 

 kind encouragement to pursue physiological researches, which proved 

 so important in Wohler's future career. Wohler was one of the com- 

 petitors for the prize offered by the medical faculty for a thesis on the 

 " Migration of Matter into Urine," and had the good fortune to be 

 successful. Among other things, it was shown by this research that 

 plant-alkalies, in their transformation through the blood, are changed 

 into carbonates. In September, 1823, Wohler passed the university 

 examination, and received the degree of Doctor of Medicine and Sur- 

 gery, " nee non artis obstetrici^e." 



Immediately after leaving the University of Heidelberg it was 

 Wohler's intention to visit the larger hospitals of Europe, as a further 

 preparation for the practice of his profession, but Gmelin advised him 

 to abandon the uncertain practice of medicine and to devote himself 

 solely to chemistry, for which specialty he had shown such decided 

 inclination and talent. Acting upon this advice, Wohler wrote to 

 Berzelius for permission to study in the laboratory at Stockholm, and 

 received from the great Swedish chemist the following answer : " Any 



