Queenwood College | Stockbridge | Jan. 31. 1857.
My dear John,
I enclose a list of Bunsen’s principal investigations:—There are now about 80 boys at Queenwood,1 and 15 or 16 more expected, in the course of this week. In other respects every thing as usual.
Ever yours | H. Debus.
1) On the antidotes of arsenious acid.2 This research led to the application of sequioside of iron as an antidote against AsO3.3 It has been proved to act in the most effective manner and is now universally in use for the purpose mentioned.
2) A new method to determine nitrogen. Very good, only a little complicated and therefore not much in use.
3) Researches on Kakodyle.4
A long and very beautiful investigation. It has two chief merits. a) In 1840 or (1841) when it was published5 the theorie of the so called ‘Zusammengesetzten Radikale’ was indeed a mere theorie in as much no Radikal of the kind was known. Now in this investigation Bunsen produces such a Radikal and shows that its qualities are like those of potassium or rather like Manganese although it is composed of AsC4H6.6 The consequence was that the above theorie got a sound fundament, was more generally accepted and led to a very fine series of researches by other chemists. If the time is considered when this was done, some 17 years ago, of course, its true value becomes apparent.
b) the masterly manner in which the extraordinary experimental difficulties were overcome. The methode’s then employed have become patterns for all subsequent investigators to similar subjects. Messrs Frankland and Kolbe7 could give testimony on this point. To experiment with a substance which takes fire in air and is of the most poisonous character required the invention of new apparatus and manipulations.
4) Improvement of the methodes used in gas analysis and the invention of new methodes. A very meritorious piece of work. He was the first to perfect Gas analysis to such a degree of exactness as was unparalled8 at the time.
5) Investigations on Iceland.9
6) Invention of the galvanic battery10
7) New method of determining Urea.11
8) On electrolytical decomposition of chloride of magnesium, Calcium, Lythium, Barium, Chromium, Manganese and Aluminium and preparation of these metals.12
9) On chemical affinity.13 A very good investigation wherein the action of the mass of matter on the chemical results is examined. It led to the conclusion that when the quantity of one substance is increased the chemical influence of this substance is not proportionately increased, but a jump takes place; on further addition of the same substance no effect seems to be produced till, when a certain quantity has been added a second time, a jump takes place &c. &c..
10) On the law of the absorbtion of gasses.14
This investigation confirms by experiment Dalton’s15 law of the absorbtion of gases. It also shows how to use the coefficient of absorbtion as a means in analysis either to recognise by it a certain substance or even to determine their quantity. The investigation is a very interesting and good one.
There are also many researches made in his laboratory which are in fact his work. You know also his last investigation on the chemical action of light.16 Every work of Bunsen's is done in a masterly and admirable matter.
Should not the above not answer your purpose17 than I shall be delighted to send you another description if you will state your want.
RI MS JT/1/TYP/7/2418–19
LT Typescript Only
Queenwood: see letter 1298, n. 13 about Queenwood College, where Debus was the current science teacher. Debus previously studied under Bunsen and served as his assistant in Marburg.
arsenious acid: inorganic compound with the formula H3AsO3. Arsenic-containing compounds are highly toxic, and Bunsen found that iron oxide hydrate as a precipitating agent was the most effective antidote to arsenic poisoning, which remains the method today. See letter 1321, n. 9.
AsO3: arsenite.
Kakodyle: cacodyl, a compound radical composed of carbon, hydrogen, and arsenic.
when it was published: R. Bunsen, ‘Untersuchungen über die Kakodylreihe’, Annalen der Chemie und Pharmacie, 37 (1841), pp. 1–57.
AsC4H6: the chemical formula for cacodyl (or kakodyle).
Messrs Frankland and Kolbe: Edward Frankland and Hermann Kolbe (1818–84), a student of Bunsen’s who succeeded him as Professor of Chemistry at the University of Marburg.
unparalled: this misspelling is in LT’s typescript and might have been misspelled by Debus in the original letter. Tyndall remarked to Hirst, in letter 1440 of this volume, that Debus’s English language skills are ‘a great hinderniss to him’.
Investigations on Iceland: see letter 1321, n. 5.
Invention of the galvanic battery: see letter 1321, n. 8.
New method of determining Urea: R. Bunsen, ‘Ueber quantitative Bestimmung des Harnstoffs’, Annalen der Chemie und Pharmacie, 65 (1848), pp. 375–86.
On electrolytical decomposition of… these metals: R. Bunsen, ‘Notiz über die elektrolytische Gewinnung der Erd- und Alkalimetalle’, Poggend. Annal., 92 (1854), pp. 648–51.
On chemical affinity: see letter 1321, n. 7.
On the law of the absorbtion of gasses: R. Bunsen, ‘On the Law of Absoprtion of Gases’, Phil. Mag., 9 (1855), pp. 116–30, and 9 (1855), pp. 181–201; and R. Bunsen, Gasometrische Methoden (Braunschweig: F. Vieweg, 1857).
Dalton’s: John Dalton (1766–1844), English chemist and physicist, who studied gas pressure (ODNB). Dalton’s ‘law of partial pressures’ states that when non-reacting gases are mixed, the pressure of each individual gas contributes to the sum of the total pressure of the mixture.
chemical action of light: R. Bunsen and H. E. Roscoe, ‘Photo-Chemical Researches.—Part I. Measurement of the Chemical Action of Light’, Phil. Trans., 147 (1857), pp. 355–80. The paper was read at the RS on 20 and 27 November 1856.
your purpose: see letter 1321, n. 1.
Please cite as “Tyndall1326,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on