J. Lawrence Smith

For other people named John Smith, see John Smith (disambiguation).
For other people named John L. Smith, see John L. Smith (disambiguation).
J. Lawrence Smith

Born December 17, 1818(1818-12-17)
near Charleston, South Carolina
Died October 12, 1883(1883-10-12) (aged 64)
Louisville, Kentucky
Signature

John Lawrence Smith (December 17, 1818 – October 12, 1883)[1] was an American chemist, born in Louisville, Kentucky, and educated at the University of Virginia, the Medical College of South Carolina (M.D., 1840), in Germany under Liebig, and in Paris under Pelouze. In 1844 he began the practice of medicine at Charleston and established the Medical and Surgical Journal of South Carolina. Between 1846 and 1850, he investigated the mineral resources of Turkey, for Turkey's government, and he discovered deposits of coal, chrome ore, and the famous emery deposits of Naxos. In Turkey he also discovered liebigite,[2][3] and named it after his German teacher Liebig.

In 1850, while professor of chemistry at the University of Louisiana (now Tulane University), Smith invented the inverted microscope.[4][5] From 1852 to 1854 he was professor of chemistry in the University of Virginia. From 1854 to 1866 he was Chair and Professor of Medical Chemistry and Toxicology at the Medical Department of the University of Louisville.[6] He was president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1872) and of the American Chemical Society (1877). His collection of meteorites was the finest in the United States, and upon his death, he passed it to Harvard. He published Mineralogy and Chemistry, Original Researches (1873; enlarged with biographical sketches, 1884). The J. Lawrence Smith Medal is named in his honor.

References

  1. ^ Silliman, Benjamin. Memoir of John Lawrence Smith, 1818-1883. April 17, 1884.
  2. ^ STUDIES OF URANIUM MINERALS (II): LIEBIGITE AND URANOTHALLITE, Howard T. Evans, Clifford Frondel (Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Harvard University); 1950.
  3. ^ The crystal structure of Liebigite, K. Mereiter, Mineralogy and Petrology (Volume 30, Number 4 / December, 1982), 18 November 1982.
  4. ^ Gage SH (1964). "Microscopy in America". Trans Am Microscopical Soc 83 (4): 54–55. 
  5. ^ Smith JL (1852). "The inverted microscope-a new form of microscope". Am J Sci Arts 14: 233–241. 
  6. ^ Medical Department of the University of Louisville. [Annual Catalogue and Announcement,1854-1866]Silliman, Benjamin Memoir of John Lawrence Smith, 1818-1883. April 17, 1884.

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