Justus Liebig (1803-1873): A Critical Appraisal on the 200th Anniversary of his Birth

The Society for the History of Alchemy and Chemistry held a meeting on 22 May 2003 in the Conference Room of the Science Museum Library entitled "Justus Liebig 1803-1873: A Critical Appraisal on the 200th Anniversary of his Birth." Professor Alan Rocke, Professor William Brock, Dr David Leaback and Dr Eric Bridson gave papers on various aspects of Liebig's life and work. The meeting followed the unveiling of a plaque at 299 Oxford Street by Professor Charles Rees, the former Hofmann Professor at Imperial College, to commemorate the Royal College of Chemistry, which was formerly located there.

Alan Rocke's paper was entitled "The 'Giessen Model' in University Science: Origins and Spread". In his paper, Professor Rocke drew attention to how in seeking to understand the rise of Justus Liebig's model for research and teaching, three interrelated and overlapping factors intrinsic to his specialty of organic chemistry have been insufficiently discussed. These three factors are the discovery of isomers, the novel practice of using chemical formulae as "paper tools," and the "Kaliapparat" method of organic analysis. The existence of these three interacting factors, all of which emerged suddenly and essentially simultaneously around 1830, led to an explosive expansion in the new field of organic chemistry. Moreover, they made it a uniquely positioned context within which to create in Germany the practices that eventually were associated with all modern research universities.

Although the best-known example of the spread of the model was the Royal College of Chemistry in London, for an alternative comparison, Professor Rocke examined the spread of the new model to France and to the United States. In taking an eclectic approach to the subject, his paper placed greater emphasis on contingencies of time, place and discipline than many earlier studies of this problem have done; thus intending to provide a helpful complementary perspective. To conclude, Professor Rocke emphasised the importance of one of Liebig's qualities: that he was a very fortunate man. Liebig benefited from being in Giessen where his work was encouraged by the administration. He was also fortunate to be close to the starting point of his chosen branch of science and to be working in the field of organic chemistry, a subject with great potential. Liebig's unique position provided the basis for his style of education and enabled the development of a model that spread throughout the world.

William Brock gave a paper on "Breeding Chemists in Giessen". Professor Brock highlighted how the factors that contributed to Liebig's success in founding a research school at Giessen have been well known since the publication of Jack Morrell's seminal paper in 1972. In his paper Professor Brock re-centred the familiar Liebig-Giessen story in a local geographical and historical context. A garrison was opened in Giessen in early 1819, effectively as a university policing force, but this was soon unnecessary. In 1823 the garrison troops were removed to Mainz and the barracks fell into disuse. The buildings were then made available for the university and the existing teacher of chemistry at Giessen, Wilhelm Zimmerman, took over one of the guard towers as a laboratory.

A variety of historical and political factors had played a role in calling Liebig to Giessen and soon the existing chair holder, Zimmermann, was ousted. Working in partnership with the government, Liebig developed pharmacy teaching as part of the state's plan of modernization and his success necessarily led to the expansion of the laboratory after 1833. Comparisons with Heinrich Buff's and Johann Christian Hundeshagen's attempts to do for physics and forestry what Liebig achieved in chemistry show that the encouragement of private enterprise was a key feature of the Hessen-Darmstadt government's strategy for the modernization of the university. Liebig put Giessen on the map and boosted the town's economy through the students that he attracted to the town. Whilst Liebig's abilities meant he would have achieved wherever he was based, the particular environment in Giessen, where he could concentrate solely on his work, made the association so successful.

Dr David Leaback's paper was entitled "Liebig's Laboratory on Oxford Street?" In the 200th anniversary year of Justus Liebig's birth, Dr Leaback drew attention to the erection of a Royal Society of Chemistry Landmark plaque at 299 Oxford Street – on the site of the former Royal College of Chemistry (ca. 1845-1872). The inscription on the plaque highlights how the College was modelled on Liebig's Laboratory in Giessen. In his presentation Dr Leaback set out to compare the structures, objectives, developments and achievements of the two institutions – thus exploring the oft-vented criticism that London's long-departed Royal College of Chemistry on Oxford Street has received inordinate attention and whether there is life still left in making the Liebig connection.

Dr Leaback proceeded to describe the location and layout of the Royal College of Chemistry and the features of the College that remained after its closure, with the premises subsequently used for retailing shoes and now suits. Having discussed John Gardner's and John Lloyd Bullock's roles in setting up the College, August Hofmann's teaching and the achievements of his students such as Edward Nicholson and William Perkin were highlighted. The personalities and locations involved were all considered in the context of the chemical community in London at the time, whilst drawing attention to the impact of the College's teaching on chemistry in the United Kingdom.

Dr Eric Bridson was the final speaker on "The rise and fall of the Fray Bentos-Liebig's Meat Extract enterprise in Uruguay". The Liebig Extract of Meat Company was created in 1865 to commercially exploit Justus Liebig's meat extract, using George Giebert's engineering and entrepreneurial skills. It was established in Fray Bentos, a small town in Uruguay and Giebert successfully expanded it up to the time of Liebig's death in 1873 and his own death in 1874. Charles Croker succeeded Giebert and he added new products to the Fray Bentos range. These included tinned corned beef and later the installation of freezer units enabled frozen and chilled raw meat to be exported around the world. By 1964 the Fray Bentos enterprise employed 40,000 staff.

The dramatic end of this large industrial unit came about because of an outbreak of typhoid fever in Aberdeen in May 1964. There were 507 cases and three deaths from Salmonella typhi phage type 34. Epidemiological investigations traced the organism to a tin of Fray Bentos corned beef. In spite of stout denials by Fray Bentos staff that their product could have caused the epidemic, phage type 34 was rare in Britain but common in South America. Further investigation in the canning plant revealed that cooling water used in the canning process had not been chlorinated for 14 months and that cases of phage type 34 typhoid had occurred in the town of Fray Bentos. The sales of corned beef across the world dropped very considerably and the trade name Fray Bentos was shunned; eventually the entire enterprise was given to the Uruguayan government in 1971. They could not make the large industrial unit financially viable and it completely closed in 1979. It is now an industrial museum: a sad end to 100 years of magnificent achievement.

Anna Simmons