Friday, March 30, 2007

Not a rotavap.

I this the first rotavap? Een of andere vent asked here.

The Alchemist in Search of the Philosophers Stone, by Joseph Wright of Derby, 1771

The answer is most likely: 'No'.

It is a concentrating device without a condensor and most likely without rotating abilities.

The painting shows Hennig Brand the german alchemist (c.1630–c.1710) who discovered phosphorus around 1669 by conentrating urine and heating the phosphate-containing residue. On this painting Brand is concentrating a solution containing the glowing phophorus.

6 comments:

Ψ*Ψ said...

I'm glad I don't have to concentrate urine for a living. That job would SUCK.

Anonymous said...

Ver nice! I never realized that this was a picture of Brand. (Wow! concentrating 5500 litres urine to produce 120 gram phosphorus, impressive). Indeed, glad he did that already.

Anonymous said...

Imagine prof Brand instructing his postdocs (they were called apprentiences at the time): "And don't forget to pee in these experiments!

Chemgeek said...

Another piss related post. Good work Snaak. Keep 'em coming!!!

Chemgeek said...

I mean "Snaack"

Sorry

snaack said...

I don't mind this misspell, Chemgeeck.