Julius Meyer (chemist)

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Adolf Julius Meyer (born January 12, 1876 in Berßel ; † October 6, 1960 in Clausthal-Zellerfeld ) was a German chemist who felt himself to be the "father of the gas fight".

Life

Julius Meyer came out of in Berßel the son on January 12, 1876 Detmold originating merchant Julius Meyer senior and native Bückeburgerin Mathilde born Niemeyer born. Meyer took in 1896 to study chemistry in Berlin , sat there a year later in Göttingen on, before he in 1900 as a student of Otto Wallach Dr. phil. received his doctorate . After his habilitation in 1903 , Meyer was appointed as a private lecturer at the University of Breslau . He then worked as an assistant at the University of Munich from 1906 to 1908 , then as an employee at the Imperial Health Department in Berlin until 1910 , before returning to the University of Breslau as an assistant in 1911.

During the First World War Meyer worked on the one hand at the Heeresgasschule, on the other hand he participated as a battalion commander in the frontline use of gas weapons. In 1919 he was appointed associate professor and in 1921 full professor for inorganic chemistry in Breslau. In addition, in 1935 he was appointed professor of inorganic chemistry at the TH Breslau. After moving to Clausthal-Zellerfeld in 1945, he was appointed professor of inorganic and analytical chemistry at the mining academy there . In 1951 Meyer was honored by being awarded the commemorative medal of the TH Wrocław .

Julius Meyer was married twice. He was the father of a daughter and two sons from his first marriage. Meyer died on October 6, 1960 at the age of 85 in Clausthal-Zellerfeld.

Act

As part of his scientific work, Julius Meyer researched mainly in the field of inorganic and physical chemistry , whereby his investigations into negative pressure in liquids in 1911 received widespread attention. In addition, he contributed numerous determinations of atomic mass as well as work on hydration in aqueous solutions.

In addition, Meyer came out with extensive work on the chemical properties of chalcogens , where he succeeded in elucidating the effects of oxygen on dithionites and significantly expanding knowledge of the chemistry of selenium and tellurium . In addition, he investigated the chemical behavior of various transition elements, including vanadium , cobalt , uranium and rhodium , but especially manganese .

In the chemical-technical field, Meyer earned services for the development of a porous lightweight concrete . Julius Meyer enjoyed a great reputation as a university lecturer because of his excellent lectures and his commitment to teaching in the laboratory.

Meyer was met with criticism while he was still alive, as his technical findings had negative effects on people's health, not least during the fighting during the First World War :

"Of the German yellow gas attacks, in which the troops themselves and not as empty ground were shot at, Professor Meyer himself states:" The effect of the yellow cross in the Battle of Flanders in 1917 increased more and more, and it happened repeatedly that the Opponents were happy when he was able to keep a quarter of his team undamaged. "The three quarters of the others, the damaged ones, may have consoled themselves for this with his famous description of the mustard gas effect, which reads:" The wounds are not fatal in and of themselves , but often they do so by the fact that the breathing process in the lungs is stopped. ”So that means that if you constrict someone's throat, it is not in and of itself fatal. You only die because you can no longer breathe ! - and the honor of mustard gas is saved. "

- Gertrud Woker : “Blossoms of Combat Gas Propaganda ”, Chapter X. of: The Coming Poison and Fire War and its Effects on the Civilian Population , 278 pages with illustrations, 6. – 9. Edition, Ernst Oldenburg Verlag, Leipzig 1932, end of chapter.

Fonts

  • The gas fight and chemical warfare agents, 1925, 3rd edition, 1938.
  • Introduction to chemistry for students of technical professions, 1939, 4th edition, 1948.

See also

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Gertrud Woker: The coming poison and fire war and its effects on the civilian population . 278 pages with illustrations, 6–9. Edition, Ernst Oldenburg Verlag, Leipzig 1932, p. 243.
personal data
SURNAME Meyer, Julius
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Meyer, Adolf Julius (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German chemist
DATE OF BIRTH January 12, 1876
PLACE OF BIRTH Berßel
DATE OF DEATH October 6, 1960
Place of death Clausthal-Zellerfeld