MITSCHERLICH, EILHARD. - THE LAW OF ISOMORPHISM ANNOUNCED.

Sur la Relation qui existe entre la forme cristalline et les proportions chimiques. IIe Memoire sur les Arséniates et les Phsophates. (Traduit, par l'Auteur lui-même, des Mèmoires de l'Academie royale des Sciences de Stockholm, pour l'an 1821, tome I.).

Paris, Crochard, 1821. Without wrappers. In 'Annales de Chimie et de Physique', Volume 19, Cahier 4. Titlepage to vol. 19. Pp. 337-442 a. 2 folded plates. (Entire issue offered). Mitscherlich's paper: pp. 350-419. 2 large folded engraved plates (crystalforms). A few minor brownspots.

First French edition - in the authors own form and translation - of Mitcherlich's announcment of his discovery of Isomorphism, stating that similar crystalline form reflect analogous chemical formulae, which Berzelius used in fixing the formulas of compounds. Mitcherlich was at this time an assistent to Berzelius, and the first printing of this classical paper appeared the same year in Akad. Handl., Stockholm. The paper was soon afterward printed in French (the paper offered) and English, and Berzelius discussed it in his "Jahresbericht", so that the work quickly became known. - Leicester & Klickstein pp. 306-08.

"The statement of the law of isomorphism...marks Mitscherlich's most importent contribution to chemistry - indeed, Berzelius considered Mitscherlich's discovery to be the most significant since that of chemical proportions. Berzelius himself found Mitscherlich's work to be of great use; he was at that time concerned with the determination of the atomic weights of the elements amd the law of isomorphism provided him with a valuable tool....Berzeluius' task was simplified by the application of Mitscherlich's law..."(DSB IX, p. 424).

Order-nr.: 48230