The First Chemist Raj G. Rajan Science Department, Edward Bok Technical High School, Philadelphia, PA 19148
Who was the first chemist? The answer to this question can never he definitive. hut this has not deterred people from asking the question and speculating about possible knswers. Thomson said that chemistrv, unlike other sciences, sprang name the person to whom we can accord the honor of being the first chemist. This paper aims to identify those who could be considered for this honor and the reasons for such considerations. Farher has named the mythological character Prometheus as the first chemist (2). The earliest chemical operations involved the separation and modification of materials, as in the crafts of brick-making and metallurgy. As these were thermal processes, Prometheus, who brought fire from heaven to earth may be regarded as the first chemist. Zosimos the Panapolite is a familiar figure in ancient alchemical writings. He was from upper Egypt and taught in Alexandria around 300 A.D. He claimed that the art of chemistry and, indeed, the name chemistry itself was derived from the leeendarv Chemes to whom fallen angels had revealed thei;secrets of making gold and silver (3). According to Zosimos, this art was not a human invention hut somethina communicated to mankind by errant angels or demons ( 4 c Chemes, by acquiring this knowledge, became the first practitioner of chemistry-or rather, of alchemy-which was the forerunner of chemistry. According to Multhauf, Zosimos is the earliest writer known to have been an alchemist (5); hence, in his own right, Zosimos can be regarded as the first alchemist. Hermes Trimegistos (Hermes the Thrice-Great) is another legendary figure who has been accorded the honor of inventing alchemy (6, 7). He is the father of the "Hermetic Art" (a svnonvm for alchemv) and the patron of alchemists. Hermes attributed to him (8). T h l h e s t known is the ~ k r a l Table d of Hermes which for centuries was held in veneration hv alchemists. Hermes is also identified with Chanaan, the son of Ham. Thomson claims that Chanaan was the true inventor of alchemy to which "he affixed his own name" (9). The word chemistry is supposed to have been derived from "Chemia" which came from the root "Chanaan."But Farher says that it was Olympiodorus who coined the word "Chymeia" (hidden art) in the fifth century A.D. to indicate the art of melting and casting metals (10) Alchemv orieinated as the art of makine eold. and chemistrv a tendency to denigrate alchemy as nothing hut a silly and superstitious pursuit. A high school chemistry textbook, for example, devotes a few lines to alchemy under the heading "Chemistry as Fun and Games: The Alchemists" (I 1). However, alchemy was anything hut fun and games, and alchemical pursuitsled to the establishment of scientific chemistry (12). ~ i e b i said g that alchemy was never at any time anything different from chemistry (13), and the alchemists were the "first professional chemists" (14). Lindsay goes so far as to say that the alchemists were the first scientists in the modern sense of the word (15). 126
Journal of Chemical Education
If the alchemists were the first chemists, is there any one alchemist who could claim preeminence? To no other group does modern chemistry owe as much as it does to the Arab alchemists. If one name stands out among them, it is that of Geher, the Latinized name of Abu Musa Jahir bin Hayyan who lived around 760 A.D. European writers have considered him to be the founder of alchem; (16),and Lindsay rates him as the greatest alchemist (17). Thomson states that the first hook on chemistry ever published was written by Geher (18). Multhauf considers Geber's works to be the most famous of all alchemical writings (19). Thomson further says that Geher's contributions entitle him to he called the "father and founder of chemistry" (20). Richard Russel translated Geber's works into English in 1678 under the title "The Works of Geher, the most famous Arabian Prince andPhilosopher," and it was reissued by Holmyard in 1928 (21). What were the contributions of Geher? Tavlor finds the most important single piece of information in ~ e b e r ' swritings to he the knowledge of mineral acids; for instance, Geher's method of making nitric acid was followed for 400 years (22). He is the first writer in whom we find an account of saltpeter (23) and be describes in minute detail all the chemicai processes that existed in his day and were known to him. These include distillation, filtration, cupellation, calcination, and smelting. He also describes the preparation and properties of such compounds as common salt, potassium and sodium alkalies, sal ammoniac, and alum. So much has been attributed to him that some writers question whether Geber was really the author of these works and whether or not he really existed 124). . . Paracelsus was the first real practitioner of medicinal chemistrv. P h i l i. ~. o u Aureolus s Theowhrastus Bomhastus von H c h 111~eim. whi,ll $3 3.. i l i a iull n111it.prol.dIy c l t (.l;tn.~l' \ ' ; I rr,rlhi~lli;l,iSIIIII' I 31no 1 ~ m ~ diwl i \ s l i c . ~ i ~ i ,. d ll, 'r.$i-t,d3 In( dignity of chemistry by emphasizing its necessity for medicine and by demonstrating the superiority of chemical medicines over "disgusting decoctions of the Galenists" (25). He is considered to be the man through whom the stock of chemistry was accumulated (26). The first "full-time chemist," according to Farber, was Baron Berzelius (27). Farher says that before Berzelius, people practiced chemistry as an occupation only occasionally, side by side with their regular professions which were more lucrative and took up much more time. Berzelius is one of the founders of modern chemistrv. Amone his numerous
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invekgations of catalysis and isomerism, and the discovery and isolation of such elements as cerium, selenium, thorium, silicon, zirconium, and titanium. He developed classical analvtical techniques and has sometimes been called the father of gravimetric analyses. Who, then was the first chemist? Geber seems to have avery strong claim, hut it could have been any one of the above mentioned. For, as Paracelsus said, "The baker is an alchemist when he bakes bread, the vine-grower when he makes wine, the weaver when he makes cloth; therefore, whatever grows in nature useful to man-whoever brines it to the point to which it was ordered by nature is an alchemist" (28j. What he said about the alchemist, is equally true for the chemist.
Literature Cited ill Thomson. T.. "The History of Chemistry: Reprint Edition, Arno Press. New York. 1 9 7 5 , ~ B. . (2) Fsrber, E., "The Bvulution of Chemistry," The Ronald Press, New York, 1969, p. 16. (2) Farher. E., "The Evolution of Chemistry," p. 15. (4) Thomson, T., "The History of Chemistry: p. 8. (5) Multhauf R. 1'. 'The Origins of Chemistry: Franklin Watts, New York, 1966, p. 66. (6) Thumson, T.. "The History of Chemistw.)(p. 9. (71 Read, J., "Prelude to Chemistry? T h e M I T . Press, Cambridge, MA, 1966, p. 5. (6) Read, 3.. "Prelude to Chemistry." D. 9. (91 Thomson, T.. "The Histow of Chemistry: p. 9. (101 Farher, E., "The Evolution of Chemistry: p. 15. (111 Muterton, W. L., Slowinski, E. I.. and Walford, E. T, "Chemistry: Holt, Kinehart & Winston,NewYork. 1 9 8 0 , ~ 2. . (121 Thornson.T.,"TheHistoryof Chemistry,"~.31.
(131 cited f r o m ~ e a d . ~ . , " ~ r e l utochemirtry,"p. de 1. (141 He1mprecht.H. L..and hiedman,L.T., "BaaicChemistry for LifeSeienees." McGrxw Hi11,New York, 1977.p. 5. (151 Lindsay, J., "The Origins of Alchemy in Graeco~RomanEgypt: Frederick Mulle~. London, 1970, p. 390. 1161 Tavlor. F. 8.. "The Alchemists." William Heinemann. London. 1951...o. 78. (17) ~ i n d mJ~. ,, ' T ~ Origins ~ of ~ l in Graeco~Roman ~ h Egypt:~ p. 128. ~ ~ (181 Thomson. T., "The History of Chemistry." p. iii. (191 Multhauf, A. P.,liThe Origins of Chemistry." p. 171. (201 Thomson. T., "The History of Chemistry? p. 132. (211 Holmyard, E. J.,"The Works of Geher: Dent,London, 1928. I221 Taylor, F. S., "The Alchemists," p. 92. (231 Thomson. T., "The History of Chemistry," p. 124. (241 Lindsay, J., "The O~iginsof Chemistwin Graeco~RomanEgmt." p. 129. (261 Thornson, T.. "The History of Chemistry.)( p. 179. (261 Thomron,T.."The HistoryofChemistry.l.p. 141. (27) Farher, E., "The Evolution of Chemistry." p. 155. (281 Quoted in Lindsay, J.."The Origins of Alchemy in Graeeo-RomanEgypt? p. 239.
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Number 2
February 1983
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