History of Chemistry

Chemistry in the Old TestamentThe Egyptians made pottery and coated it with dyes, glazes, and ce-ramics. The Phoenicians, who are credited with being the first to make soap, used snails to make a dye that served as the basis of a thriving textile business. Their purple cloth was a prized commodity at the time King Solomon was rebuilding the temple.

The development of processed iron had a great influence on determining the military powers of the ancient world. Iron swords were used throughout the Middle East and Greek peninsula over one thousand years before Christ. Until then, the best armament had been bronze swords, but those shattered into pieces under a heavy blow from the stronger iron weapons. When the Philistines occupied Canaan during the days of Saul, they did not allow the Israelites to make iron weapons (1 Sam. 13:19–22).

The Chemistry of the AlchemistsAlchemists often dabbled in astrology, incantations, and other ac-tivities that seemed to them to link the spiritual with the scientific. You may wonder if a Christian should be involved in such a science that had its root in occultism and black magic. A Christian, through his practice of chemistry, can reshape the science to bring God glory. A Christian practice of chemistry involves wisely using the resources God has given us for mankind’s benefit and discovering the intrica-cies in God’s creation, which reveals to us a little of His wonderful character.

Francis Bacon noted the contribution of the alchemists to the field of chemistry when he wrote the following:

Alchemy was like the man who told his sons he had left them gold buried somewhere in his vineyard; where they by digging found no gold, but by turning up the [dirt] about the roots procured a plentiful vintage.

Alchemy made its first steps toward modern chemistry under the guidance of the Swiss alchemist Philippus Paracelsus. In the early 1500s, Paracelsus promoted the use of chemicals to treat disease. This application of chemistry to medicine became the forerunner of modern pharmacology. Pharmacology is the science of making, using, and studying the effects of medicinal drugs. The relationship between chemistry and medicine is even more important today. As a result, all students studying to be medical doctors, nurses, or phar-macists are required to study chemistry.

Chapter One Foundations of Chemistry

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Philippus Paracelsus (1493–1541) was an alchemist born in Einsiedeln, Switzerland. He spent most of his adult life traveling through Europe, Asia, and Russia as a phy-sician. His experimental approach revolu-tionized the field of medicine.