Thomas Charles Hope
Encyclopedia
Thomas Charles Hope was a Scottish physician and chemist. He discovered the element strontium
, and gave his name to Hope's Experiment, which shows that water reaches its maximum density
at 4°C.
Hope served as president of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
(1815–19), and as vice-president of Royal Society of Edinburgh
(1823–33) during the presidencies of Walter Scott
and Thomas Makdougall Brisbane.
He founded the chemical prize at Edinburgh.
Charles Darwin
was one of Hope's students, and Darwin viewed his chemistry lectures as highlights in his otherwise largely dull education
at Edinburgh University.
and Juliana Stevenson, he was educated at the High School, the University of Edinburgh
(MD 1787) and the University of Paris
. At Edinburgh he was a student of Joseph Black
.
Hope was a nephew of the physician Alexander Stevenson.
in 1787, and professor of medicine in 1789.
In January 1788, upon the proposal of John Walker, Daniel Rutherford
and Alexander Monro
, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
.
In 1791-2 Hope discovered the chemical element strontium
and named it after Strontian
, the west highland village where he found strontianite
. In the experiment that bears his name Hope determined the maximum density of water and explained why icebergs float.
as his assistant (1795–1799) and eventual successor to the professorship of medicine and chemistry (1799–1843) at the University of Edinburgh
. Hope’s goal was to more fully combine the practice of medicine with his chemical instruction.
In 1800 Hope won the annual Edinburgh Arrow archery competition.
In 1804 he became a member of the Highland Society
.
In May 1810 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London.
Between 1824-40 Hope worked with scientists based in Poissy
, France. With the major Jean-François Senincourt, he tried to establish a university in the town. Within a few years his aims began to be realised as medical students crowded his lectures.
In 1843 he resigned the professorship and died in Edinburgh in 1844.
Strontium
Strontium is a chemical element with the symbol Sr and the atomic number 38. An alkaline earth metal, strontium is a soft silver-white or yellowish metallic element that is highly reactive chemically. The metal turns yellow when exposed to air. It occurs naturally in the minerals celestine and...
, and gave his name to Hope's Experiment, which shows that water reaches its maximum density
Maximum density
The maximum density of a substance is the highest attainable density of the substance under given conditions.-Attaining maximum density:Almost all known substances undergo thermal expansion in response to heating, meaning that a given mass of substance contracts to a low volume at low temperatures,...
at 4°C.
Hope served as president of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh was established in the 17th century. While the RCPE is based in Edinburgh, it is by no means just a Scottish professional body - more than half of its 7,700 Fellows, Members, Associates and Affiliates live and practice medicine outside Scotland, in 86...
(1815–19), and as vice-president of Royal Society of Edinburgh
Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity, operating on a wholly independent and non-party-political basis and providing public benefit throughout Scotland...
(1823–33) during the presidencies of Walter Scott
Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet, popular throughout much of the world during his time....
and Thomas Makdougall Brisbane.
He founded the chemical prize at Edinburgh.
Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
was one of Hope's students, and Darwin viewed his chemistry lectures as highlights in his otherwise largely dull education
Charles Darwin's education
Charles Darwin's education gave him a foundation in the doctrine of Creation prevalent throughout the West at the time, as well as knowledge of medicine and theology. More significantly, it led to his interest in natural history, which culminated in his taking part in the second voyage of the...
at Edinburgh University.
Early life
Born in Edinburgh, the third son of surgeon and botanist John HopeJohn Hope (botanist)
John Hope was a Scottish physician and botanist. He is best known as an early supporter of Carl Linnaeus's system of classification, largely because he published very little of the research that might have made him a name in plant physiology....
and Juliana Stevenson, he was educated at the High School, the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
(MD 1787) and the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
. At Edinburgh he was a student of Joseph Black
Joseph Black
Joseph Black FRSE FRCPE FPSG was a Scottish physician and chemist, known for his discoveries of latent heat, specific heat, and carbon dioxide. He was professor of Medicine at University of Glasgow . James Watt, who was appointed as philosophical instrument maker at the same university...
.
Hope was a nephew of the physician Alexander Stevenson.
Glasgow University and the discovery of strontium
He was appointed lecturer in chemistry at the University of GlasgowUniversity of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
in 1787, and professor of medicine in 1789.
In January 1788, upon the proposal of John Walker, Daniel Rutherford
Daniel Rutherford
Daniel Rutherford was a Scottish physician, chemist and botanist who is most famous for the isolation of nitrogen in 1772.Rutherford was the uncle of the novelist Sir Walter Scott.-Early life:...
and Alexander Monro
Alexander Monro (secundus)
Alexander Monro of Craiglockhart and Cockburn was a Scottish anatomist, surgeon and medical educator. To distinguish him as the second of three generations of physicians of the same name, he is known as secundus. His students included the naval physician and abolitionist Thomas Trotter...
, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity, operating on a wholly independent and non-party-political basis and providing public benefit throughout Scotland...
.
In 1791-2 Hope discovered the chemical element strontium
Strontium
Strontium is a chemical element with the symbol Sr and the atomic number 38. An alkaline earth metal, strontium is a soft silver-white or yellowish metallic element that is highly reactive chemically. The metal turns yellow when exposed to air. It occurs naturally in the minerals celestine and...
and named it after Strontian
Strontian
Strontian is the main village in Sunart, an area in western Lochaber, Highland, Scotland, on the A861 road. It lies on the north shore of Loch Sunart, close to the head of the loch...
, the west highland village where he found strontianite
Strontianite
Strontianite is an important raw material for the extraction of strontium. It is a rare carbonate mineral and one of only a few strontium minerals...
. In the experiment that bears his name Hope determined the maximum density of water and explained why icebergs float.
Edinburgh University
In 1795 Hope was selected by Joseph BlackJoseph Black
Joseph Black FRSE FRCPE FPSG was a Scottish physician and chemist, known for his discoveries of latent heat, specific heat, and carbon dioxide. He was professor of Medicine at University of Glasgow . James Watt, who was appointed as philosophical instrument maker at the same university...
as his assistant (1795–1799) and eventual successor to the professorship of medicine and chemistry (1799–1843) at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
. Hope’s goal was to more fully combine the practice of medicine with his chemical instruction.
In 1800 Hope won the annual Edinburgh Arrow archery competition.
In 1804 he became a member of the Highland Society
Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland
The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland was founded in Edinburgh in 1784 as the Highland Society of Edinburgh. The Society was formed 2 years after the repeal of the Dress Act of 1746, at a time when there was renewed interest in Highland culture.The Society is responsible for...
.
In May 1810 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London.
Between 1824-40 Hope worked with scientists based in Poissy
Poissy
Poissy is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris from the center.In 1561 it was the site of a fruitless Catholic-Huguenot conference, the Colloquy at Poissy...
, France. With the major Jean-François Senincourt, he tried to establish a university in the town. Within a few years his aims began to be realised as medical students crowded his lectures.
In 1843 he resigned the professorship and died in Edinburgh in 1844.