REICIIENBACH, KARL, Baron von, a German naturalist and technologist, was b. at Stuttgart, the capital of Wiirtemberg, Feb. 19, 17S8, and educated at Ttibingen, where he received the degree of PH.D. Soon after he conceived the project of founding a new German state in the South sea, but his plans were watched by the French authorities, and being suspected to have some hidden political significance, their author was arrested and imprisoned for some time in the fortress of Hohenasperg. On his release he turned his attention to the natural sciences, and their application to the industrial arts, visiting the principal manufactories of Germany and France, and on his return he established at Viilingen and Hatisach kilns for the production of wood-charcoal. In 1821, in con nection with Hugh count of Salm, he commenced a number of manufactories of differ ent kinds at Blansko in Moravia, which were carried on under his own superintendence. Reichenbach's management was so economical and effective, that the concern soon bectune extremely profitable; and Reichenbach, after a few years, was the possessor of a handsome fortune, which he invested iu the purchase of large estates, including the chateau of Heisenberg, where he kept his magnificent collection of meteorites; he was' about the same time created a baron by the king of Wtirtemberg. Reichenbach's posi tion as manager of the works at Blansko afforded Min valuable opportunities, which were not neglected, for scientific investigation. and the numerous new facts thus brought
to light have been of great value to science and art. From the nature of the works, the objects which chiefly presented themselves to his investigation were the compound prod ucts of the distillation of organic substances, and by careful analysis he succeeded in bringing to light a number of compounds of carbon and hydrogen not previously known. Among these were creosote (1833) and paraffine (q.v.). In later years lie lanched out into speculations of a wholly different character. Studying with enthusiasm the subject of animal magnetism, he discovered, as he thought, a new force in nature. See, 0D. His chief literary works are: Ceologische Nittheilnngen ass Niihren (Vienna, 1834), the first geological monograph published in Austria; Physikali,4e7c-plipiologisehe Untersuch ungen fiber die dnnamide des ,lingnetisinas and der Eleet•icitat, and Are Beziehungen ntit der Lebewkraft (Brunswick, 1847-49); several other works on "odic force," published at S nttgart between 1859 and 185S; several papers in the Neues Jahrbuch der (Mende and Physik; Kolderglaube 'and Afterwiwn.yenaft (1856), iu reply to a work of Karl Vogt; Aphorismen caber Seneibilitat and Od (1866); Die Orliwke Lake (1867). , Reichenbach died at Leipsic, Jan. 19, 1869.