Wilhelm Böttger (1871) Contributed by Ralph E. Oesper, University of Cincinnati (For biographical sketch of Wilhelm Böttger, see page 24.)
WILHELM B~TTGER (Frontispiece) ANALYTICAL chemistry is the indispensable foundation of cator in the titration of acids and bases," a selection which forethe other branches of the science; hut precisely hecause it has shadowed his future major interest. After a year a s assistant to been such a good servant, it has undeservedly acquired, in some Wdlach a t Giittingen, and a similar period under Ostwald, he chemical circles, a reputation of inferiority. I t s importance was was in Leipdg in 1903 as privaldoaenl for analytical and physical paramount during the development of scientific chemistry, and chemistry. I n October, 1904, he came t o America as Research the greatest minds of that time devoted a considerable portion of Associate a t Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Xis imprestheir efforts and talents to the advancement of this branch. sions of the American colleges, recorded in his "Amerikauisches However, when chemistry began to subdivide, the analytical Hochschulwesen" (1906). are still excellent reading. He refield suffered a partial eclipse and its development was seriously turned t o Ostwald's Institute in 1905, received the Ph.D. degree arrested. This condition was not due solely to the fact that it in 1907, and remained there without break for more than thirty could not offcr attractions comparable to those held out by or- years, refusing offers of other posts. He passed through all the ganic synthesis, for example, but rather because analytical chem- academic grades and was made emeritus in 1937 when he reached istry was suffering from a serious internal infirmity. No matter the retiring age. how numerous or complete the details, their sum could never As might he anticipated from his training and environment, equal the insight required for a knowledge of the whole, so long a s Professor Biittger and his students have worked c h i d y on the general points of view were not available. Analytical chemistry application of physical chemical methods t o analytical problems. was taught as an art, its practioners were little more than skilled The main studies have dealt with: sensitivity of chemical reaccraftsmen, and no significant progress was possible a s long a s tions; refinement of quantitative electraanalytical procedures; there was no underlying body of theory. Besides the more or less microchemical methods; amphoteric hydroxides; elimination of empirical modification of existing recipes and the haphazard dis- indicator errors in visual titrations; etc. covery of new reactions and reagents, the field seemed to he fairly Of no less importance are his literary activities. His "Qualitawell exhausted. tive Analyse" (1st ed., 1902) was the first text in which qualitaThe development of physical chemistry changed this picture. tive analysis was treated entirely on the basis of the Arrheuius It provided the essential foundation for arenaissauce of analytical theory. It has gone through seven editions and has been transchemistry. The "Exodus" of this revival was Ostwald's, "The lated into Russian. Italian, and English. He collaborated in Scientific Foundations of Analytical Chemistry" (1st ed.. 1894). such important undertakings as: Landolt-B6rnstein; LungeWilhelm Biittger was trained and spent his emire teaching career Berl; "Handwiirterhuch der Naturwissenschaften." Since 1931 in Ostwald's famous Physikalisch-chemisches Institut of the he has edited the extremely valuable series "Die chemische University of Leipzig. Therefore, i t is not a t all strange that he is Analyse." He is editor of the important "Physikalische Methoone of that comparatively small number of contemporary chem- den der analytischeu Chemie," and himself wrote the sections ists who have devoted their professional lives to the advancement on electroanalysis (1160 pages) and potentiometric analysis (282 of analytical chemistry, particularly through the application of pages). physico-chemical principles. This latter contribution exhibits particularly well the character Wilhelm Biittger, born a t Leisnig (Saxony) on October 21, of his scientific work, which has been largely devoted t o the rec1871, entered chemistry after completing the standard pharma- onciliation of "theory" and "practice." ceutical curriculum. At the suggestion of Th. Paul he chose a s the subject for his doctorate research "The electrometer a s indi-Contributed by Ralph E. Oespcr, University of Cincinnati
