Book description
The Fontana History of Chemistry, which draws on both the author's own
original research and that of other scholars, is an unrivalled work of synthesis.
Beginning with the first tentative chemical explorations, Dr Brock
proceeds via the alchemists' futile, but frequently profitable, efforts
to turn lead into gold to recount the emergence of the modern discipline
of chemistry as fashioned by Boyle, Lavoisier and Dalton. Brock
chronicles chemical developments during the last 150 years, emphasizing
the roles of purity, analysis and synthesis, the exploration of reaction
mechanisms, the industrialization of chemical change, and how chemistry
has been taught and disseminated.
While brilliantly successful in explaining and exploiting chemical
change, modern chemistry can prompt more fear than excitement in the
uninitiated. This book seeks to enlighten: to assess links between
theory and practice and to encourage a heightened awareness to promote a
better public understanding of chemistry and the modern phamaceutical
industries.. Dr William H. Brock, who was born in Brighton, Sussex in
1936, read chemistry at University College London before turning to the
history of science. He is currently Reader in the History of Science in
the Department of History at the University of Leicester. He has been
President of the British Society for the History of Science (1978-80),
Editor of Ambix (the Journal of the Society for the History of Alchemy
and Chemistry 1968-80), and is its current Book Editor.
