James Cutbush, an American Chemist, 1788-1823

Name: James Cutbush, an American Chemist, 1788-1823
Author: Edgar Fahs Smith

By Edgar Fahs Smith

Open in WeRead

Explore more books like this:

Biographies History - American Science - Chemistry/Biochemistry

About This Book

A concise biography traces the life and work of an early American chemist who promoted the practical application of chemical knowledge to industry and everyday life. It chronicles his articles for a Philadelphia newspaper advocating chemical methods for gunpowder, nitrate production, alcohol from potatoes, brewing, adhesives, and related manufactures; his experiments in pyrotechnics; his role among contemporaneous chemical enthusiasts; and his efforts to educate the public and advance domestic manufactures through scientific practice. The narrative emphasizes patriotic and civic motives, the experimental methods of the period, and the broad aim of making chemistry useful to society.

About the Author

Edgar Fahs Smith

Edgar Fahs Smith was an American chemist and historian of science, recognized for his contributions to the understanding of early American chemistry. He is particularly known for his works "James Cutbush, an American Chemist, 1788-1823" and "Priestley in America, 1794-1804," which explore the lives and impacts of significant figures in the field. Smith's scholarship sheds light on the development of scientific thought in America during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, highlighting the interplay between science and society in that era.