190 
OBITUARY. 
and minutely described the atomic theory of the elemen- 
tary bodies. He discovered and examined several great 
classes of chemical combinations, as, for instance, the differ- 
ent degrees in which sulphur combines with fluoric acid, 
with platinum, columbium, vanadium, tellurium, and phos- 
phorus, the sulphates, &c. In organic chemistry he has no 
less distinguished himself by his experiments, and, properly 
speaking, he has laid the foundation of vegetable and ani- 
mal chemistry, more particularly the latter. As regards 
chemical analysis, the highest merits are due to him, for 
having arranged a new and generally adopted chemical 
nomenclature. His works, which have been for the most 
part translated into the English, French, German, Italian, 
Spanish, and Polish languages, are so numerous and volu- 
minous, that, considering the accuracy with which every 
thing is described, it appears to be almost a wonder how 
one man, whose time, besides, is occupied with a great 
amount of official duties, has been able to accomplish such 
a mass of scientific publications. 
Berzelius had received from his Majesty King Charles 
John many marks of high distinction: he was created a 
nobleman in 1818, a Baron in 1835, Knight Commander of 
the Royal Order of Wasa in 1821, and Grand Cross of the 
same order in 1829; he was a Knight of the Royal Swe- 
dish order of the Polar Star, and of several foreign orders 
received from the Emperor of Russia and the Kings of Prus- 
sia, Denmark, Belgium, France, and Sardinia ; an honorary 
member of upwards of one hundred literary and scientific 
societies. In consideration of the great services which Ber- 
zelius has bestowed on his native country, the members of 
the Diet at Stockholm in 1840, voted to him the annual sum 
of 2000 dollars banco as a pension for his lifetime indepen- 
dent of his former emoluments. — Lancet, 
