544 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



complexion, let me in. It was Berzelius himself. lie welcomed me 

 very cordially, informed me that he had been expecting me for some 

 time, and wished me to tell him of my journey all this in the German 

 language, with which he was as familiar as with French and English. 

 When he conducted me into his laboratory I felt as if I were in a daze, 

 doubting whether I found myself in reality in these classic walls and 

 in the fulfillment of all my dreams. He took me the first day to the 

 institute, where he gave his lectures to medical students, but which 

 were attended by officers of the army and several of his friends, and 

 which I regularly visited afterward to accustom my ears to the lan- 

 guage. This afforded me opportunity to admire his calm and clear 

 delivery, and his skill in performing experiments. In this institute 

 was also the laboratory for medical students, which was presided over 

 by Mosander." The following day Wohler at once set to work. He 

 was provided with a platinum crucible, a balance with weights, and a 

 wash-bottle, but had to furnish his own blowpipe, the use of which 

 Berzelius strongly recommended. He was at that time the only pupil, 

 as Mitscherlich, Henry and Gustavus Rose, had preceded him, and 

 Magnus was his successor. The laboratory consisted of two common 

 rooms, with very simple accommodations. There were neither fur- 

 naces, nor ventilators, nor water, nor gas. In one of the rooms were 

 two pine tables, at one of which Berzelius had his place, while "Wohler 

 worked at the other. There were the usual cases for reagents, a glass- 

 blowing table, a water-trough, under which stood a pail, and where 

 the cook Anna came every day to wash the soiled vessels. This cook 

 was a famous character, and ruled over the establishment with despotic 

 sway. As she was one day cleaning some vessels, she remarked that 

 they smelt strongly of oxidized muriatic acid. " Look here, Anna," 

 said Berzelius, "thou must not call it oxidized muriatic acid any 

 longer, but chlorine that is better." 



Berzelius was at this time engaged upon his beautiful researches 

 on hydrofluoric acid, silicium, boron, and zirconium. It was most in- 

 structive for Wuhler to follow these researches and note the methods 

 pursued by the great Swedish chemist. After a hard day's work in 

 the laboratory, Wohler generally spent his long evenings in studying 

 the Swedish language, and in translating Berzelius's treatises for Pog- 

 gendorff's "Annalen." Sometimes Berzelius would retain him at his 

 house, and entertain him with stories of Gay-Lussac, Thenard, Dulong, 

 Wollaston, H. Davy, and other scientific celebrities, with all of whom 

 he corresponded, and whose letters he preserved in separate portfolios. 

 He permitted Wohler to read his correspondence with these celebrated 

 men, and also to peruse his journal of a visit to Paris and London. 

 When the weather became more moderate and the days grew longer, 

 Wohler made short excursions to the mines, factories, and mineral de- 

 posits of the neighborhood of Stockholm, on some of which occasions 

 he was accompanied by Berzelius. The first analysis which Berzelius 



