Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1878 [PAGE 207]

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T H E DEVELOPMENT OF CHEMISTRY.

In the history of chemistry, peculiarities present themselves which are not met with in the case of most all other sciences. As a general thing every science has had a fixed object in view from the beginning, and all the historian had to do was to lind this object and note all the means employed in tlie different ages for its accomplishment. Thus, medicine always had in view the healing of diseases. The*-descriptive natural sciences always sought the determination and classification of bodies occurring in nature. Chemistry, however, differs from these sciences, inasmuch as its object varied in different ages. T h a t the object of chemistry at one time was to make gold, is well known. A t another time its object was to explain and heal diseases. The object of chemistry at the present time is to determine the ultimate composition of matter, and the laws which govern its combinations and decompositions. Since chemistry did not pursue the same object at all times, an objection would naturally arise against considering its history that of a single science, since a science is chiefly characterised by its object. But on the other hand the question arises, how the pursuit of such heterogenous objects should be described under the same name, because the name of chemistry is over 1400 years old. This objection and question will best be conserved by the fact that the present object of chemistry, was always a means employed in searching for the objects of former times. This brings the history of earlier periods into intimate connection with that of the present time, and explains why the same name could be applied to purposes, so entirely different. The point of*time from which to date the beginning of the history of chemistry, has been a subject of controversy, many claiming that it should begin with the time in which chemistry became a science; but this point of time cannot be readily determined; for chemistry verged gradually from a mere empirical art to the rank of a science. The earliest times bear record of observations on certain facts belonging to chemistry, all of which had an influence upon its subsequent development. The history of chemistry, therefore, properly begins with our record of historical facts in general, and owing to the great space of time which it embraces, it may, for the sake of convenience, be divided into three parts; namely, the ancient, the middle, and the modern history of chemistry. The first division extends from the earliest times to about the beginning of the 4th century. During this time individual chemical facts were observed; but they were not regarded as having any relation to each other.