Ira Remsen

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Ira Remsen
Born (1846-02-10)February 10, 1846
New York City, New York, USA
Died March 4, 1927(1927-03-04) (aged 81)
Carmel, California, USA
Nationality United States
Fields Chemistry
Institutions EK University, Tübingen
Williams College
Johns Hopkins University
Alma mater College of Physicians and Surgeons
University of Göttingen
Doctoral advisor Wilhelm Rudolph Fittig
Doctoral students William Henry Emerson
Charles Herty
William A. Noyes
Kotaro Shimomura
Known for Discovery of saccharin
Founder, American Chemical Journal
Notable awards Priestley Medal (1923)
Willard Gibbs Award (1914)

Ira Remsen (February 10, 1846 – March 4, 1927) was a chemist who, along with Constantin Fahlberg, discovered the artificial sweetener saccharin. He was the second president of Johns Hopkins University.

Biography

Ira Remsen was born in New York City and earned an M.D. from the College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1867. Remsen subsequently studied chemistry in Germany, receiving a Ph.D. from University of Göttingen in 1870.[1] In 1875, after researching pure chemistry at University of Tübingen, Remsen returned to the United States and became a professor at Williams College, where he wrote the popular text, "Theoretical Chemistry". Remsen's book and reputation brought him to the attention of Daniel Coit Gilman who invited him to become one of the original faculty of Johns Hopkins University. Remsen accepted and founded the department of chemistry there, overseeing his own laboratory. In 1879 Remsen founded the American Chemical Journal which he edited for 35 years.

In 1879 Fahlberg made an accidental discovery that changed Remsen's career. Eating rolls at dinner after a long day in the lab researching coal tar derivatives, Fahlberg noticed that the rolls tasted initially sweet but then bitter.[2] Since his wife tasted nothing strange about the rolls, Fahlberg tasted his fingers and noticed that the bitter taste was probably from one of the chemicals in his lab. The next day at his lab he tasted the chemicals that he had been working with the previous day and discovered that it was the oxidation of o-toluenesulfonamide he had tasted the previous evening. He named the substance saccharin and he and his research partner Remsen published their finding in 1880. Later Remsen became angry after Fahlberg patented saccharin, claiming that he had discovered saccharin.[3]

In 1901 Remsen was appointed the president of Johns Hopkins, where he proceeded to found a School of Engineering and helped establish the school as a research university. He introduced many of the German laboratory techniques he had learned and wrote several important chemistry textbooks. In 1912 he stepped down as president and retired to Carmel, California.

In 1923 he was awarded the Priestley medal.[4][5] He died on March 4, 1927.

Legacy

After his death the new chemistry building was named after him at Johns Hopkins. His ashes are located behind a plaque in Remsen Hall; he is the only person buried on campus. According to legend, undergraduates who rub the plaque the night before their chemistry exam will do well.

His Baltimore house was added to the National Register of Historic Places and declared a National Historic Landmark in 1975.[6]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.nasonline.org/publications/biographical-memoirs/memoir-pdfs/remsen-ira.pdf
  2. ↑ http://www.chemheritage.org/discover/media/magazine/articles/28-1-the-pursuit-of-sweet.aspx
  3. ↑ http://www.jhu.edu/gazette/2000/sep1100/11remsen.html
  4. ↑ "Chemistry Award For Dr. Ira Remsen. Priestley Medal Will Be Bestowed Upon Him at Chemical Society's Annual Meeting". New York Times. September 3, 1923. Retrieved 2010-10-29. "The Priestley medal awarded every three years by the American Chemical Society for distinguished services to chemistry, will be bestowed upon Dr. Ira Remsen, President Emeritus of Johns Hopkins University, at ceremonies in Milwaukee, Wis., on Sept. 12, in connection with the annual meeting of the society, it was announced here last night." 
  5. ↑ http://pubs.acs.org/cen/priestley/recipients/1923remsen.html
  6. ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2008-04-15. 

Further reading

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