MITSCHERLICH, ELLIIAliD, a distinguished Prussian chemist., was b. at Neuende, near Jena, in 1794, and 0. at Berlin in 1863. In 1811 he proceeded to the university of Heidelberg, where he devoted himself to history, philology, and oriental languages; and he continued the study of these subjects at Paris and GOttiu,t7en. It seems to have been at the last-named university that (1814 or 1815) he first turned his attention to geology and mineralogy, chemistry and physics, and it was not till 1818, when he was at Berlin, that lie selected chemistry as his special study. His observations on the striking simi larity between the crystalline form and the chemical composition of the arseuiates and the phosphates led to his discovery of the law of isomorphism (q.v.), the importance of which was so fully recognized by Berzelius that he invited the young chemist, in 1819, to Stockholm, .1.‘ here he studied till 1821, when, on the death of Klaproth, he was, on the strong recommendation of Berzelius, appointed to the vacant chair of chemistry at Berlin. One of his earliest discoveries after his appointment was that of the double
crystalline form of sulphur, the first observed case of dimorphism. See DIMORPHOUS. His investigations regarding the formation of artificial minerals, and his memoirs on benzine and on the formation of ether must be classed among his most important contri butions to chemistry; but it is mainly on the discovery of isomorphism and dimorphism that his reputation will finally rest. His principal work is his Lehrkelt der Chemie, begun in 1829, and concluded in 1841. It has passed 'through five editions, and is espe cially valuable for the clear and simple way in which he has brought mathematics and physics to bear upon the subject. He was an honorary member of almost all the great scientific societies. and received the gold medal from the Royal Society of London for his discovery of the law of isomorphism.