21G 
SCHEELE AND HIS DISCOVERIES. 
roots mixed, and well bruised, two ounces and a half; boiling water, two pints. 
Boil down to a pint and a half, and strain. 
Of this decoction Dr. Comstock gave half a fluid ounce every four or eight 
hours, and any tendency it exhibited to operate on the bowels was checked by 
laudanum. 
The dose of baptism, according to Tilden, is from a quarter to half a grain; 
but Dr. Coe* says the average dose is from one to three grains. Whilst there is 
such uncertainty as to the strength of this preparation it, would be advisable to 
use the decoction exclusively, or to give the doses of baptisin as marked by the 
several manufacturers upon their respective preparations. 
SCHEELE AND HIS DISCOVEKIES. 
(Translated and arranged from the Memoir of M. Cap.) 
BY MR. JOSEPH INCE. 
Certainly not in this Journal should the life and labours of Scheele be un¬ 
noticed. His career is a bright example of how far the mind may triumph over 
external difficulties, and of how little value are adventitious aids when genius is 
linked with perseverance. To us especially as Pharmaceutists must the record 
be of interest, teaching, as it does, that nothing is denied to patient industry, and 
that the loftiest results have been, and therefore may be again within the grasp 
of the man who has to earn his bread by the humblest plodding behind a Drug¬ 
gist’s counter. 
Charles William Scheele ivas born at Stralsund, December 9th, 1742. Stral- 
sund is a town in Swedish Pomerania, and now belongs to Prussia. He was 
the son of a small tradesman, burdened with a numerous family. His father 
placed him with a M. Bauch, an old family friend, an apothecary at Gottenburg. 
Apprenticeship in Sweden lasted generally six years, at the expiration of which 
the apprentice took the title of “ garcon,” and later on, that of assistant ( aide - 
apothicaire). Sclieele’s classical studies had been painfully limited, and his first 
essays in Pharmacy were more painstaking than successful. He was a laborious 
reader of works relating to his profession, specially those of Neumann, De 
Lernery, De Stahl, and one of Kunckel’s, called k The Laboratory ;’ and he often 
worked out at night experiments that the day’s study had suggested. One word 
will best describe him—diligent. After some years’ stay with M. Bauch he went 
to Malmoe, in Scania, where he spent five years with another pharmacien, M. 
Kalstroem. There, in silence and retirement, he devoted himself to the deep 
and serious study of Chemistry. In 1767 he went to Stockholm, became assist¬ 
ant to M. Scharenberg, superintendent of Pharmacy, and stopped there three 
years ; after which he went to Upsal, where Bergmann was a celebrated pro¬ 
fessor. So great was Seheele’s timidity that he had not the courage to present 
himself before the noted lecturer, though, with the zeal of a true chemist, he 
had set his heart upon the introduction. Circumstances however, and the fame 
of some personal dexterity stood his friend ; the student and the savant met, 
were mutually delighted with each other, and became sworn associates from that 
hour. A few months afterwards Scheele read a notice on Fluor Spar before 
the Academie des Sciences, and on the proposition of Bergmann, a simple stu¬ 
dent of Pharmacy was elected an Associate of the Academy. Such a distinc¬ 
tion affected little the studious and retiring Scheele, who longed only for the 
quiet which would enable him in peace to pursue his studies. In vain Bergmann 
tried to keep so promising a man at Upsal by the temptation of a good position. 
* ‘ Concentrated Organic ’Remedies 
