BERZELIUS, ber-tsni-Os, Jons Jakob BARON, Swedish chemist of distinction: b. Westerlosa, East Gothland, Sweden, 29 Aug. 1779; d. Stockholm, 7 Aug. 1848. The first fruit of his studies and of a year's residence as assistant to a physician at the famous watering place of Medewi, was the 'Nova Analysis Aquarum Medeviensium) (1800). After tak ing his doctor's degree, he was appointed by the board of health in 1802 adjunct of medicine and pharmacy in Stockholm. In 1807 he became professor of medicine and pharmacy in Stock holm. In 1808 he was admitted a member of the Academy of Sciences at Stockholm, in 1810 one of its directors, and in 1818 its perpetual secretary. In 1818 the King, while allowing him to retain his own name, made him a noble; and in 1835, on the occasion of his marriage with a daughter of Poppius, a councillor of state, he was named a baron.
The existing state of chemistry is founded in a great measure on the discoveries and views of Berzelius, though, by the rapid devel opment of the science, the edifice which he erected has undergone many alterations, notable defects have been discovered in it. Hence his view's in regard to atomic weights, his electro chemical theory, and his mode of procedure in organic chemistry, have met with many oppo nents. He discovered selenium and thorium, first exhibited calcium, barium, strontium, tan talum, silicium and zirconium in the elemental state, and investigated whole classes of com pounds, as those of fluoric acid, the metals in the ores of platinum, tantalum, molybdenum, vanadium, sulphur salts, etc. He introduced a
new, or at least a wholly altered nomen clature and classification of chemical com pounds. In short, there is no branch of chem istry to which he did not render essential ser vice; and his labors were so numerous that, when the accuracy with which they have been executed is kept in view, it becomes almost in comprehensible how one man should have been able to perform them. It ought to be especially mentioned that he never rested satisfied with the bare investigation of isolated facts, but always extended his investigations over a wide field, so as to contribute to the advancement of chemistry as a whole. In addition to his numer ous communications to the journals and period icals of the period, may be mentioned, among his separate works, his 'View of the Compo sition of Animal Fluids,' 'New System of Min eralogy,' 'Essay on the Theory of Chemical Proportions,' and above all his 'Text-book of Chemistry,' which has been translated into most European languages. As secretary of the Academy of Sciences, he published an an nual account of the progress of chemistry and mineralogy, which, having been continued dur ing 27 years, extends to as many volumes. Con sult Soderbaum, (Berzelius, Werden and Wachsen' (Leipzig 1899).