Call Number:

013

Repository:

Science History Institute Archives

Extent:

3.2 linear feet (3 boxes)

Preferred Citation:

Johann Joseph Loschmidt - Archibald Scott Couper Collection Special Collections, Science History Institute Archives, Philadelphia Pennsylvania..

Date:

1853-1997 (inclusive) and 1990-1997 (bulk)

Creator:

Bader, Alfred, 1924-2018 and Wiswesser, William J.

Form:

Archival materials

Abstract:

This is a collection of original and research materials centered on Josef Loschmidt and A. Scott Couper and their relationship to their work to that of August Kekule.

Johann Josef Loschmidt was an Austrian chemist and physicist. In certain circles he is regarded as the Father of Structural Chemistry because he recognized truths about the nature of molecular bonds that Kekule denied outright or only belatedly accepted. Archibald Scott Couper was a Scottish chemist educated in Berlin and Paris. His paper on the structure of molecules was written before Kekule's, but only published after, thus denying him primacy of discovery. Couper never recovered from this set back and a resultant nervous breakdown essentially put an end to his career as a working chemist.

For a more detailed inventory, please view this record in our library catalog: https://othmerlib.sciencehistory.org/record=b1063485~S6

The original materials and research files are somewhat thin but the research files appear to be fairly comprehensive. The materials were arranged by the processing archivist.

Arranged in series : Series 1. Johann Josef Loschmidt original materials; Series 2. Archibald Scott Couper orignial materials; Series 3. Research files on Johann Josef Loschmidt and Archibald Scott Couper.