56^ 



NATURE 



[October 12, 1893 



and all for the sake of <ilthy lucre. At the small uni- 

 versity where I am, w.iere the dullest pedantry sits 

 enthroned, and where natural science is learnt from the 

 Greek authors or from Wilbrand's writings, I should 

 otherwise die of hunger." 



However much Liebig may share Berzelius's opinion 

 of French chemical work in general during the thirties, 

 he will hear of no word of disparagement of his old 

 master Gay Lussac, for whom he had the most genuine 

 respect and esteem. A captious remark by Berzelius 

 respecting Gay Lussac at once rouses Liebig, and his 

 impetuous pen dashes off a panegyric which is almost 

 eloquent in the warmth and intensity of its feeling. The 

 only thing to his discredit that Liebig will allow is that, 

 in common with his countrymen, Gay Lussac is not 

 sufficiently attentive to what is done outside France : 



"A certain mental indolence prevents the French, to 

 their shame be it said, from making themselves ac- 

 quainted with foreign work. Gay Lussac shares this 

 failing, and feels that it will gradually effect the ruin and 

 extinction of all scientific growth in France : all his 

 letters to me are filled with complaints on this score, and 

 principally as regards himself. However that is no fault 

 in his character, and can well be forgiven him when one 

 takes his other good qualities into account." 



A letter from Liebig, dated December 28, 1831, an- 

 nounces the discovery, and describes the properties of 

 chloral, a '• Substanz welche ich, da ich keinen besseren 

 Namen weiss, Chloralkohol nennen will." Berzelius, in 

 his reply, gives an account of his work on tellurium. In 

 May, 1832, Liebig writes that he has begun to work on 

 amygdalin. 



" I am on the point of becoming Wohler's enemy : I 

 see that Fate will not allow either of us to do anything 

 that the other has not already done or is on the point 

 of doing: all originality goes to the devil. He suggests 

 that we should do a joint investigation on bitter almond 

 oil — and just before I got his letter I had written to all 

 the apothecaries I knew of to procure me bitter almond 

 oil, because I too had the matter in view." 



What came out of that memorable investigation on oil 

 of bitter almonds no chenaist needs to be reminded of 

 On July 2, Liebig writes that he has been engaged in 

 determining the composition of an " ether-like sub- 

 stance," sent to him by Dobereiner, who had named 

 it "Sauerstoffether." 



■' Oxygen-ether is no name for this substance. I am, 

 however, very stupid at naming things. What think you 

 of acetal (acetum and alcohol) ? " 



In more than one of his letters Liebig held out 

 the hope to himself that he might be enabled to visit 

 Berzelius in Stockholm, and do some research in common 

 with him, and he sends to Wohler for a Swedish grammar. 

 The terrible pressure of his work at Giessen at this time 

 is beginning to tell upon him. He writes to Berzelius : 



" I am always ill, and fear my life's thread will not spin 

 out much longer. Each work I undertake makes me 

 worse, and the slightest effort excites me as if 1 were in 

 a fever. Wohler and my family tell me daily what a fool 

 I am ; however, we shall see. If the journey to Stock- 

 holm does not mend me, then I shall never be cured." 



Berzelius answers : — 



" The pleasure which your news of matters scientific 

 gave me, great though it was, is as nothing compared 



NO. 1250, VOL. 48] 



with that of your promise to spend some months witli 

 me and to do a piece of work with me. I have seldom 

 had such a pleasant surprise, but now comes the ques- 

 tion : When is this good fortune to befall me.' You df 

 not need to speak a word of Swedish to come here. Ii 

 you wish to learn it, may it be ray privilege to be youi 

 teacher. Come soon and spend the winter months wi;' 

 me. A Swedish winter is healthier than a German one 

 Your depressed nervous system will right itself here 

 We will work, joke, and skate, and not over-fatiguf 

 ourselves, and yet labour to good purpose. You will fine 

 my laboratory far belnw your expectation. It is smal 

 and badly furnished. But it is just in such a place tha 

 one learns to do with little.' 



The visit, unfortunately, was never made. Wijhlf 

 lost his wife in the summer of that year, and in h 

 dejection sought the society of his friend at Giessen 

 Moreover, the outbreak of cholera at various ports \\ 

 North Germany made travelling irksome and dangerous 

 As it was, the two never met again. The correspondenci 

 was maintained, with intermissions, down to 1845— tha 

 is, until about three years before the death of Berzelius 

 Little by little misunderstandings arose which eventual); 

 ended in coolness, despite the most persistent elforts b 

 Wohler to preserve friendly relations. Theconservatisn 

 of Berzelius, who clung, with the obstinacy of age, li 

 views which the rest of the world regarded as obsolete 

 reacted painfully on the strong-willed, impulsive nalun 

 of Liebig, who could as little brook contradiction. Then 

 was more than one sharp passage of arms, and at lengil 

 open rupture. Berzelius made his Jahresbericht tin 

 vehicle of many bitter attacks on the work of the Giessei 

 school, to which Liebig, restrained by Wohler, and t' 

 some extent swayed by mi.xed feelings of reverence am 

 pity, seldom replied. 



His sentiments towards the great master will \>< 

 evident from the following excerpt from a Ijtter ti 

 Wohler, with which this most interesting volume closes : 



" The opinions and theories of Berzelius were a cle.i 

 and formal expression of the ideas of his time, and there 

 fore of great value ; but they went no further. I will no 

 say that this was a fault, but it would have been a virtu, 

 had he possessed a larger measure of that creative though 

 which I may term the poetry of natural philosophy." 



T. E. T. 



BACTERIOLOGY FOR THE STUDENT:^ 



■It- 

 Manual of Bacteriology for Practitioners and Student 

 with especial reference to Practical Methods. By D 

 S. L. Schenk, Professor Extraordinary in the Universit 

 of Vienna ; translated from the German, with a 

 Appendix by W. R. Dawson, B A., M.D. (Uni 

 Dublin). 8vo. 310 pp. (London : Longmans, Gree 

 and Co., 1893.) 



THE bacteriological library has recently been enriche 

 by yet another text-book which, although only pul 

 lished in German a few months ago, has already appeare 

 in an English translation. In this work we have the ri 

 sponsibility divided between the author and translate 

 for the latter has not merely acted as interpreter, but ha 

 added numerous foot-notes, besides an appendix intende, 

 to bring the book as far as possible up to date, all (j 

 which additions are signed by the translator. It doesni; 



