Robert Kane (chemist)
Encyclopedia
Sir Robert John Kane was an Irish
chemist
.
and fled for a time to France
where he studied chemistry. Back in Dublin Kean (now Kane) founded the Kane Company and manufactured sulphuric acid.
The young Kane studied chemistry at his father's factory and published his first paper, "Observations on the existence of chlorine in the native peroxide of manganese", in 1828. He studied medicine
at Trinity College, Dublin
and pharmacy
in Paris
. He was appointed Professor of Chemistry at the Apothecaries' Hall, Dublin in 1831. In the following year he participated in the founding of the Dublin Journal of Medical Science
.
in 1832. He studied acid
s, showed that hydrogen
was electropositive
, and proposed the existence of the ethyl
radical
. In 1836 he travelled to Gießen
in Germany
to study organic chemistry
with Justus von Liebig
.
He published a three-volume Elements of Chemistry in 1841–1844, and a detailed report on the Industrial Resources of Ireland. This included the first assessment of the water power potential of the River Shannon
, which was not realised until the 1920s at Ardnacrusha. His work on Irish industry led to his being appointed director of the Museum of Irish Industry in Dublin in 1845 and first President of Queen's College, Cork (now University College Cork) in the same year. The science building on the campus of this college is named in honour of Kane. He was knighted in 1846.
He became a political adviser on scientific and industrial matters. He served on several commissions to enquire into the Great Irish Famine, all more or less ineffective. His political and administrative work meant that his contribution to chemistry ceased after about 1844.
In 1873 Kane took up the post of National Commissioner for Education. He was elected President of the Royal Irish Academy in 1877, holding the role until 1882. In 1880 he was appointed the first Chancellor of the newly-created Royal University of Ireland
.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
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....
.
Youth
His father, John Kean, was involved in the Irish Rebellion of 1798Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
and fled for a time to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
where he studied chemistry. Back in Dublin Kean (now Kane) founded the Kane Company and manufactured sulphuric acid.
The young Kane studied chemistry at his father's factory and published his first paper, "Observations on the existence of chlorine in the native peroxide of manganese", in 1828. He studied medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
at Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
and pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He was appointed Professor of Chemistry at the Apothecaries' Hall, Dublin in 1831. In the following year he participated in the founding of the Dublin Journal of Medical Science
Dublin Journal of Medical Science
The Irish Journal of Medical Science is a peer-reviewed medical journal that was established in 1832 by Robert Kane as the Dublin Journal of Medical & Chemical Science. Besides Kane, it had distinguished editors like Robert James Graves and William Wilde...
.
Academic life
On the strength of his book Elements of Practical Pharmacy he was elected to the Royal Irish AcademyRoyal Irish Academy
The Royal Irish Academy , based in Dublin, is an all-Ireland, independent, academic body that promotes study and excellence in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is one of Ireland's premier learned societies and cultural institutions and currently has around 420 Members, elected in...
in 1832. He studied acid
Acid
An acid is a substance which reacts with a base. Commonly, acids can be identified as tasting sour, reacting with metals such as calcium, and bases like sodium carbonate. Aqueous acids have a pH of less than 7, where an acid of lower pH is typically stronger, and turn blue litmus paper red...
s, showed that hydrogen
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
was electropositive
Electronegativity
Electronegativity, symbol χ , is a chemical property that describes the tendency of an atom or a functional group to attract electrons towards itself. An atom's electronegativity is affected by both its atomic number and the distance that its valence electrons reside from the charged nucleus...
, and proposed the existence of the ethyl
Ethyl group
In chemistry, an ethyl group is an alkyl substituent derived from ethane . It has the formula -C2H5 and is very often abbreviated -Et.Ethylation is the formation of a compound by introduction of the ethyl functional group, C2H5....
radical
Radical (chemistry)
Radicals are atoms, molecules, or ions with unpaired electrons on an open shell configuration. Free radicals may have positive, negative, or zero charge...
. In 1836 he travelled to Gießen
Gießen
Gießen, also spelt Giessen is a town in the German federal state of Hesse, capital of both the district of Gießen and the administrative region of Gießen...
in Germany
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...
to study organic chemistry
Organic chemistry
Organic chemistry is a subdiscipline within chemistry involving the scientific study of the structure, properties, composition, reactions, and preparation of carbon-based compounds, hydrocarbons, and their derivatives...
with Justus von Liebig
Justus von Liebig
Justus von Liebig was a German chemist who made major contributions to agricultural and biological chemistry, and worked on the organization of organic chemistry. As a professor, he devised the modern laboratory-oriented teaching method, and for such innovations, he is regarded as one of the...
.
He published a three-volume Elements of Chemistry in 1841–1844, and a detailed report on the Industrial Resources of Ireland. This included the first assessment of the water power potential of the River Shannon
River Shannon
The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland at . It divides the west of Ireland from the east and south . County Clare, being west of the Shannon but part of the province of Munster, is the major exception...
, which was not realised until the 1920s at Ardnacrusha. His work on Irish industry led to his being appointed director of the Museum of Irish Industry in Dublin in 1845 and first President of Queen's College, Cork (now University College Cork) in the same year. The science building on the campus of this college is named in honour of Kane. He was knighted in 1846.
He became a political adviser on scientific and industrial matters. He served on several commissions to enquire into the Great Irish Famine, all more or less ineffective. His political and administrative work meant that his contribution to chemistry ceased after about 1844.
In 1873 Kane took up the post of National Commissioner for Education. He was elected President of the Royal Irish Academy in 1877, holding the role until 1882. In 1880 he was appointed the first Chancellor of the newly-created Royal University of Ireland
Royal University of Ireland
The Royal University of Ireland was founded in accordance with the University Education Act 1879 as an examining and degree-awarding university based on the model of the University of London. A Royal Charter was issued on April 27, 1880 and examinations were opened to candidates irrespective of...
.