WÖHLER, FRIEDRICH. - THE BEGINNING OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY.

Sur la Formation artificielle de l'Urée.

(Paris, Crochard, 1828). 8vo. Without wrappers. Extract from 'Annales de Chimie et de Physique', Series 2 - Volume 37. Pp. 330-334.

First appearance in French of this milestone paper, marking the beginnings of organic chemistry, in which Wöhler describes how he managed to synthezise urea from cyanate of ammonia. The French version here is translated from the German paper "Ueber künstliche Bildung des Harnstoffs.", which was issued the same year (1828). This broke down the old distinction between organic and inorganic substances. "This was the first synthesis of an organic compound, and this accomplishment is generally regarded as the beginning of organic chemistry."(Sparrow "Milestones of Science", p.37).

The discovery destroyed the vitalistic theory which held that organic compounds could be produced only by living organisms, and led eventually to the brilliant results that have been achieved in attempts to synthesize other organic compounds.

Dibner: Heralds of Science, no. 45. - Sparrow: Milestones of Science, no. 197. - Garrison & Morton, no. 671. See also DSB XIV p.475.

Order-nr.: 44898