Lorenz Florenz Friedrich von Crell (21 January 1744 – 7 June 1816) was a German
chemist
A chemist (from Greek ''chēm(ía)'' alchemy; replacing ''chymist'' from Medieval Latin ''alchemist'') is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties. Chemists carefully describe t ...
. In 1778 he started publishing the first
periodical
A periodical literature (also called a periodical publication or simply a periodical) is a published work that appears in a new edition on a regular schedule. The most familiar example is a newspaper, but a magazine or a journal are also example ...
journal focusing on chemistry. The journal had a longer title, but was known simply as
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'', which is usually shortened to ''Chemische Annalen'' and often referre ...
.
Life and work
Lorenz Crell was born in the
Duchy of Brunswick
The Duchy of Brunswick (german: Herzogtum Braunschweig) was a historical German state. Its capital was the city of Brunswick ().
It was established as the successor state of the Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel by the Congress of Vienna ...
's university town of Helmstedt as the son of medical professor Johann Friedrich Crell and grandchild of medical professor
Lorenz Heister
Lorenz Heister (Latin: ''Laurentius Heister'') (19 September 1683 – 18 April 1758) was a German anatomist, surgeon and botanist born in Frankfurt am Main.
Biography
From 1702 to 1706 Heister studied at the Universities of Giessen and Wetz ...
, who achieved renown in surgery and botany. At the age of fourteen, he entered the
University of Helmstedt
The University of Helmstedt (german: Universität Helmstedt; official Latin name: ''Academia Julia'', "Julius University"), was a university in Helmstedt in the Duchy of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel that existed from 1576 until 1810.
History
Found ...
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 () or Brunswick ( , from Low German ''Brunswiek'' , Braunschweig dialect: ''Bronswiek'') is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, north of the Harz Mountains at the farthest navigable point of the river Oker, which connects it to the ...
'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
The University of Göttingen, officially the Georg August University of Göttingen, (german: Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, known informally as Georgia Augusta) is a public research university in the city of Göttingen, Germany. Founded ...
.
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 is a German chemistry journal. Its original name is ''Chemische Annalen für die Freunde der Naturlehre, Arzneygelährtheit, Haushaltungskunst und Manufacturen'', which is usually shortened to ''Chemische Annalen'' and often referre ...
. 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 (5 September 1775 – 16 July 1815) was a German chemist.
Life and education
Gehlen was born in Bütow, Farther Pomerania (now Bytów, Poland), he is known as the publisher of ''Neues allgemeines Journal der Chemie'' (1 ...
, today published as ''Journal für praktische Chemie'' became too strong.
Crell was involved in the sometimes harsh discussion about the
phlogiston theory
The phlogiston theory is a superseded scientific theory that postulated the existence of a fire-like element called phlogiston () contained within combustible bodies and released during combustion. The name comes from the Ancient Greek (''burni ...
Richard Kirwan
Richard Kirwan, LL.D, FRS, FRSE MRIA (1 August 1733 – 22 June 1812) was an Irish geologist and chemist. He was one of the last supporters of the theory of phlogiston.
Kirwan was active in the fields of chemistry, meteorology, and geol ...
, 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
The German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina (german: Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina – Nationale Akademie der Wissenschaften), short Leopoldina, is the national academy of Germany, and is located in Halle (Saale). Founde ...
in 1778 and the
American Philosophical Society
The American Philosophical Society (APS), founded in 1743 in Philadelphia, is a scholarly organization that promotes knowledge in the sciences and humanities through research, professional meetings, publications, library resources, and communit ...
in 1786. 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).