Lorenz Florenz Friedrich von Crell
Encyclopedia
Lorenz Florenz Friedrich von Crell (January 21, 1745 – June 7, 1816) was a German
chemist
. In 1778 he started publishing the first periodical journal focusing on chemistry. The journal had a longer title, but was known simply as Crell's Annalen
.
's university town of Helmstedt
as the son of medical professor Johann Friedrich Crell and grandchild of medical professor Lorenz Heister
, who achieved renown in surgery and botany. At the age of fourteen, he entered the University of Helmstedt
where, after nearly a decade of taking courses offered by the philosophical and medical faculties, he took his M.D. in 1768. He then made a two-year study tour to Göttingen, Strasbourg, Paris, Edinburgh, and London. In 1771, soon after his return to the Duchy of Brunswick, Crell secured appointment in Braunschweig
's Collegium Carolinum as professor of metallurgy. Three years later, he relocated to the University of Helmstedt as professor of medicine responsible for theoretical medicine and materia medica. Starting in 1783 till 1810 he was professor for philosophy and medicine at the University of Helmstedt and from 1810 till his death in 1816 he was professor for chemistry at the University of Göttingen.
In 1778 Crell published the first issue of the Chemische Journal für die Freunde der Naturlehre, Arzneygelahrtheit, Haushaltungskunst und Manufacturen. He changed his journal's name two times, ending up in 1784 with Crell's Annalen
. This periodic journal was the first journal focusing primary on chemistry. Crell stopped publishing the journal in 1804 after the concurrence of the chemical journal of Alexander Nicolaus Scherer and Adolph Ferdinand Gehlen
, today published as Journal für praktische Chemie became too strong.
Crell was involved in the sometimes harsh discussion about the phlogiston theory
. The experiments of Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier showed that the up to that point accepted theory was probably wrong. Von Crell translated some articles of Richard Kirwan
, a supporter of the phlogiston theory. Von Crell defended the theory until 1799 and never openly accepted that it was wrong.
Crell was elected into the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina in 1778. In 1780 the Duke of Brunswick made him a Bergrat (administrator of mining) and in 1781 he was nobled by the emperor Leopold II
(his name changed from Crell to von Crell).
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
chemist
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
. In 1778 he started publishing the first periodical journal focusing on chemistry. The journal had a longer title, but was known simply as Crell's Annalen
Crell's Annalen
Crell's Annalen is a German chemistry journal. Its original name is Chemische Annalen für die Freunde der Naturlehre, Arzneygelährtheit, Haushaltungskunst und Manufacturen, usually shortened to Chemische Annalen and often referred to as Crell's Annalen after the editor Lorenz Florenz Friedrich von...
.
Life and work
Lorenz Crell was born in the Duchy of BrunswickDuchy of Brunswick
Brunswick was a historical state in Germany. Originally the territory of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel in the Holy Roman Empire, it was established as an independent duchy by the Congress of Vienna in 1815...
's university town of Helmstedt
Helmstedt
Helmstedt is a city located at the eastern edge of the German state of Lower Saxony. It is the capital of the District of Helmstedt. Helmstedt has 26,000 inhabitants . In former times the city was also called Helmstädt....
as the son of medical professor Johann Friedrich Crell and grandchild of medical professor Lorenz Heister
Lorenz Heister
Lorenz Heister was a German anatomist, surgeon and botanist born in Frankfurt am Main....
, who achieved renown in surgery and botany. At the age of fourteen, he entered the University of Helmstedt
University of Helmstedt
The University of Helmstedt, official Latin name: Academia Julia , was a university in Helmstedt in the Duchy of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel that existed from 1576 until 1810....
where, after nearly a decade of taking courses offered by the philosophical and medical faculties, he took his M.D. in 1768. He then made a two-year study tour to Göttingen, Strasbourg, Paris, Edinburgh, and London. In 1771, soon after his return to the Duchy of Brunswick, Crell secured appointment in Braunschweig
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
's Collegium Carolinum as professor of metallurgy. Three years later, he relocated to the University of Helmstedt as professor of medicine responsible for theoretical medicine and materia medica. Starting in 1783 till 1810 he was professor for philosophy and medicine at the University of Helmstedt and from 1810 till his death in 1816 he was professor for chemistry at the University of Göttingen.
In 1778 Crell published the first issue of the Chemische Journal für die Freunde der Naturlehre, Arzneygelahrtheit, Haushaltungskunst und Manufacturen. He changed his journal's name two times, ending up in 1784 with Crell's Annalen
Crell's Annalen
Crell's Annalen is a German chemistry journal. Its original name is Chemische Annalen für die Freunde der Naturlehre, Arzneygelährtheit, Haushaltungskunst und Manufacturen, usually shortened to Chemische Annalen and often referred to as Crell's Annalen after the editor Lorenz Florenz Friedrich von...
. This periodic journal was the first journal focusing primary on chemistry. Crell stopped publishing the journal in 1804 after the concurrence of the chemical journal of Alexander Nicolaus Scherer and Adolph Ferdinand Gehlen
Adolph Ferdinand Gehlen
Adolph Ferdinand Gehlen was a German chemist.Gehlen was born in Bütow, Farther Pomerania , he is known as the publisher of Neues allgemeines Journal der Chemie , Journal für Chemie und Physik and the Repetitorium für die Pharmacie .-Sources:...
, today published as Journal für praktische Chemie became too strong.
Crell was involved in the sometimes harsh discussion about the phlogiston theory
Phlogiston theory
The phlogiston theory , first stated in 1667 by Johann Joachim Becher, is an obsolete scientific theory that postulated the existence of a fire-like element called "phlogiston", which was contained within combustible bodies and released during combustion...
. The experiments of Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier showed that the up to that point accepted theory was probably wrong. Von Crell translated some articles of Richard Kirwan
Richard Kirwan
Richard Kirwan FRS was an Irish scientist. He is remembered today, if at all, for being one of the last supporters of the theory of phlogiston. Kirwan was active in the fields of chemistry, meteorology, and geology...
, a supporter of the phlogiston theory. Von Crell defended the theory until 1799 and never openly accepted that it was wrong.
Crell was elected into the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina in 1778. In 1780 the Duke of Brunswick made him a Bergrat (administrator of mining) and in 1781 he was nobled by the emperor Leopold II
Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor
Leopold II , born Peter Leopold Joseph Anton Joachim Pius Gotthard, was Holy Roman Emperor and King of Hungary and Bohemia from 1790 to 1792, Archduke of Austria and Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1765 to 1790. He was a son of Emperor Francis I and his wife, Empress Maria Theresa...
(his name changed from Crell to von Crell).