A treatise on chemistry. Vol. III, The chemistry of the hydrocarbons and their derivatives, or, Organic chemistry. Part I / by H.E. Roscoe & C. Schorlemmer.

  • Henry Enfield Roscoe
Date:
1881
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A treatise on chemistry. Vol. III, The chemistry of the hydrocarbons and their derivatives, or, Organic chemistry. Part I / by H.E. Roscoe & C. Schorlemmer. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by University of Bristol Library. The original may be consulted at University of Bristol Library.

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    OEGANIC CHEMISTEY, OR THE CHEMISTRY OF THE HYDROCARBONS AND THEIR DERIVATIVES. HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION. I Many of the most important chemical facts known to the ancients have their place in the Organic portion of our science. Thus, for example, the only acid with which the ancients were acquainted was an organic substance, viz., vinegar or dilute acetic acid, and the name of this body and the idea of acidity were expressed by closely related words, o^o<;, acetics, vinegar ; and o^y<?, acidus, acid.^ Again, the first reagent of any kind which we find described is also an organic body, namely the extract of gall-nuts with which, as Pliny states, the ancients were accustomed to ascer- tain whether verdigris was adulterated with green vitriol. The first rude attempts at distillation were also made with an organic body, viz., turpentine; whilst the first salts which were artificially prepared were organic ones, being those ob- tained by the action of vinegar on the alkalis. The mode of preparing soap by the action of fats upon the alkalis was also known in early times. In addition to a knowledge of the fats and oils, the ancients were acquainted with various resins, and colouring matters, as well as with sugar and gum. They likewise understood the preparation of wine from grape-juice, and certain nations, especially the Egyptians, Gauls and Germans, were accustomed to prepare beer from malted grain. » SoR Vol. ii. ]i!irt i. ].. 32. J5 2