William Nicholson A DICTIONARY OF PRACTICAL AND THEORETICAL CHEMISTRY 1808 Antique Illustrated Plates Tables Diagrams Science Reference Salts Acids

Title: A Dictionary of Practical and Theoretical Chemistry, with Its Application to the Arts and Manufactures, and to the Explanation of the Phaenomena of Nature: Including Throughout the Latest Discoveries, and the Present State of Knowledge on Those Subjects
Author: William Nicholson - William Nicholson was a renowned English chemist and writer on "natural philosophy" and chemistry, as well as a translator, journalist, publisher, scientist, inventor, patent agent and civil engineer.

On 12 December 1783, Nicholson was elected to the "Chapter Coffee House Philosophical Society". He was proposed by Jean-Hyacinthe Magellan and seconded by horologist John Whitehurst.

Nicholson communicated to the Royal Society in 1789 two papers on electrical subjects. In the same year he reviewed the controversy which had arisen over Richard Kirwan's essay on phlogiston, and published a translation of the adverse commentaries by the French academicians (Lavoisier, Monge, Berthollet, and Guyton de Morveau) as ‘An Essay on Phlogiston, to which are added Notes.’

In 1797 he began to publish and contribute to the Journal of Natural Philosophy, Chemistry and the Arts, generally known as Nicholson's Journal, the earliest monthly scientific work of its kind in Great Britain— the publication continued until 1814. The journal included the first comprehensive descriptions of aerodynamics with George Cayley's "On Aerial Navigation",[3] which inspired the Wright brothers[4] a hundred years later.

In 1799 he established a school in London's Soho Square, where he taught natural philosophy and chemistry, with the aid of a grant of £1,500 from Thomas Pitt.

In May 1800 he with Anthony Carlisle discovered electrolysis, the decomposition of water into hydrogen and oxygen by voltaic current. The two were then appointed to a chemical investigation committee of the new Royal Institution. But his own interests shortly turned elsewhere.

Besides considerable contributions to the Philosophical Transactions, Nicholson wrote translations of Fourcroy's "Chemistry" (1787) and Chaptal's "Chemistry" (1788), "First Principles of Chemistry" (1788) and a chemical dictionary (1795); he also edited the "British Encyclopaedia, or Dictionary of Arts and Sciences" (6 vols., London, 1809). (Information courtesy of Wikipedia)

Publisher: Printed for Richard Phillips
City: London
Year: 1808
Binding Style: Hardcover
Pagination: unpaginated
Width: 5.5" Height: 8.5"
Book Details: This antique volume is solidly bound in plain paper-covered boards and re-backed with a leather spine bearing five raised bands. An antique chemistry reference work, this title is organized alphabetically, and is profusely illustrated with diagrammatic plates and folding charts.
Condition / Notes: This antique title displays some typical indications of age and wear, including shelfwear and rubbing, with moderate loss to high points. The binding and text block are sound. Pages show light age toning and scattered foxing/smudging. The numerous plates and folding charts are well preserved.

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