Technikatörténeti szemle 19. (1992)

KÖNYVISMERTETÉS - Papers of the First „MINERALKONTOR” International Conference on the History of Chemistry and Chemical Industry (Veszprém, 12-16 August, 1991)

Finnish University during its first hundred years. The teaching of the few hundred students and the research intended to support prevalent philosophical ideas and not to bring in new revolutionary views. The very few magistral these in chemistry were presented as a branch of other sciences, primarily physics and science of medicine. In the beginning of the period scholars preferred the old Aristotelean philosophy. Later on also iatrochemical views were alloved without the dissent of the authorities. After the disastrous Nordic War in the beginning of the 18th century while reconstrucing the university, chemistry gained a more pronounced position. In the thirties Docent Johan Browallius (1707—55, professor of physics 1738, archbishop of Turku 1746) delivered the first separate lectures in chemistry. From his published aphorisms we know that he supported the flogiston theory of Stahl. He made also renowned research on arsenic sulphur compounds. The government recognized in the forties the importance of chemistry as a separate branch of sciences. One tried several ways to strengthen the education. A f least in 1758, the Director of Economy and Assessor Per Adrian Gadd (1727— 97), a pupil of the Academy was appointed professor in chemistry, physics and economy he chair was shortly later changed to include only chemistry with all its branches. Gadd's over 100 magistral theses concerned mostly applied chemistry. He published also the first textbook in horticulture in Finnish language 1768 and a handbook in agriculture making up 1500 pages. Gadd founded also the first academic chemical laboratory in Finland in 1764. It included three laboratory and collection rooms, a lecture room and a collection of nearly 3500 mineral specimens collected by professor in medicine D. H. Roring. Chemistry shared the lecture room with another bad smelling laboratory, the anatomical institution which situated in the same building. In 1787 owing to bad health Gadd resigned from the chair. With the appointment of Johan Gadolin (1760—1852) in 1785 to associate professor in chemistry and in 1797 to full professor the Academy got an internationally well renowned teacher. Gadolin was a disciple of the Academy, but he made his doctoral thesis on iron analysis in Torben Bergmans laboratory in Uppsala in 1781. Through long journeys Gadolin got contacts with most of the prominent European chemists of the time. His research included among other pioneer investigations on rate earth minerals. The rare earth metal Gadolinium, discovered 1880 by the swissman Marignac has been named after Gadolin. He made physical investigations studiening specific heats of water and elements. In his textbooks and in his teaching he supported Lavoisiers oxidation theory. As one of the first he also introduced laboratory experiments for undergraduate students. As an able administrator, he was elected rector magnificus of the university too. During the Napoleonic wars in 1809 Finland has been separated from Sweden and united as a Grand Duchy to the Russian Empire. Although disastrous for large parts of Finland, the war spared Turku and the Academy. After the peace treaty some of the teachres and students of the Academy moved to Sweden, but in general the academic life continued with few exceptions nearly as in the old times. A new mainbuilding was taken in use in 1817. Chemistry got good working conditions and rooms for the great mineral collection which included about 10000 specimens. Gadolin resigend from his chair in 1822 but took part in the administration