Schuh’s Annotated Bio-Bibliography

RAMMELSBERG, Karl Friedrich August.

(1813 – 1899)

(Born: Berlin, Germany, 1 April 1813; Died: Grosslichterfelde, Germany, 28 December 1899) German physician, chemist & mineralogist.

Rammelsberg studied medicine at the University of Berlin, graduating in 1837. He became employed at the University in 1841, being appointed extraordinary professor of chemistry in 1845. In 1851, he was named full professor of chemistry and mineralogy at the Royal Industrial Institute in 1851. Rammelsberg was elected a member of the Berlin Academy of Science in 1874. His researches greatly improved inorganic and mineralogical chemistry.

Biographical references: Barr, Index to Biographical Fragments, 1973: 213. • Bulletin de la Société Française de Minéralogie: 24 (1901), 280-306 [by G. Wyrouboff]. • Centralblatt für Mineralogie: 1900, 221-33, 310-29 & 342-57, portait. • DBA: I 997, 271-273; II 1041, 129-144. • DSB: 11, 270-1 [by A. Pabst]. • Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th edition. • ISIS, 1913-65: 2, 380. • Poggendorff: 2, cols. 562-4, 3, 1085 & 4, 1209. • Sarjeant, Geologists, 1980: 3, 1944. • Schaedler, Biographisch Handwörterbuch, 1891: 100. • WBI. • World Who's Who in Science: 1391.

Handwörterbuch, 1841

2 vols. [Vol 1] 8°: [i]-xxxvi, [1]-442, [2] p.; [Vol 2] 8°: [2], [1]-326 p. Page size: 208 x 124 mm.

Contents: [Vol 1] [i-ii], Title page, verso blank; [iii], Dedication to Heinrich and Gustav Rose; [iv], Blank; [v]-x, "Vorrede"; [xi]-xxxii, "Einleitung"; [xxxiii]-xxxvi, Bibliography; [1]-442, Text; [1 pg], "Gedruckt bei A.W. Schade"; [1 pg], Blank.

[Vol 2] [i-ii], Title page, verso blank; [1]-301. Text; [302]-313, "Uebersicht der Formeln der Silikate"; [314]-326,"Zusätze und Berichtigungen".

Very scarce. A classic work in mineralogical chemistry. Both volumes comprised at their publication a complete dictionary describing the chemistry of all known mineral bodies. This was the first work to treat the subject so completely, and in reality the effort was so comprehensive and lucid in its descriptions, the Handwörterbuch quickly became the standard reference on the subject. Its dominence was not supplanted until Doelter's Handbuch der Mineral-Chemie appeared in 1912.

The reception the Handwörterbuch recieved at its appearance may be gaged by Berzelius' review comments:"Rammelsberg's Handwörterbuch has enriched mineralogy with a work of extraordinarily high worth. It contains the minerals in alphabetical order, with details of all known analyses. These are accompanied by fundemental reviews of the analytic methods, frequently with conversions and necessary corrections applied to the derived results, thus fulfilling both requirements usually so difficult to combine, namely completeness and yet not fatiguing detail. The introduction contains a short but clear and ordered presentation of the chemical constitution of mineral and species that reviews the results of the analyses.""Seldom has a work been more needed and the need so perfectly answered as this fitting account. The deserving author should be greatly thanked for this extremely useful and laborious undertaking, and the work should be included in every library concerned with mineralogical science" (Jahresberichte, 1842: 22, 118).Around 1847, it was recorded that the work would be translated into French by Achille Ernest Oscar Joseph Delésse, but this apparently never came to fruition.

Bibliographical references: Dana's 7th (Bibliography): 79. • NUC. • USGS Library Catalog.

8°: [i]-vi, [1]-160 p. Page size: 208 x 124 mm. Very scarce.

Contents: [i-ii], Blank, verso series title page.; [iii], Title page; [iv], Blank; v-vi, "Vorrede."; [1]-2, "Einleitung."; 3-160, Text.

Bibliographical references: Dana's 7th (Bibliography): 79. • USGS Library Catalog.

8°: [i]-vi, [1]-180, [2] p. Page size: 208 x 124 mm. Very scarce.

Contents: [i-ii], Blank, verso series title page.; [iii], Title page; [iv], Blank.; v-vi, "Vorrede."; [1]-4, "Einleitung."; 5-180, Text.; [1 pg], "Berichtigungen."; [1 pg], Blank.

Bibliographical references: Dana's 7th (Bibliography): 79. • USGS Library Catalog.

8°: [i]-vi, [1]-150, [4] p. Page size: 208 x 124 mm. Very scarce.

Contents: [i-ii], Blank, verso series title page.; [iii], Title page; [iv], Blank.; v-vi, "Vorrede."; [1]-11, "Allgemeines."; 12-133, Text.; 134-150, "Vergleichende Uebersicht der natürlichen Silicate."; [4 pgs], Publishers book list.

Bibliographical references: Dana's 7th (Bibliography): 79. • USGS Library Catalog.

8°: [6], [i]-lviii, [1]-272 p. Page size: 208 x 124 mm. Rare.

Contents: [1 pg], Blank.; [1 pg], Series title page.; [1 pg], Title page; [1 pg], Blank.; [2 pgs], "Vorrede."; [i]-lviii, "Allgemeines."; [1]-269, Text.; 270-272, "Nachträge und Berichtigungen."

Bibliographical references: Dana's 7th (Bibliography): 79. • USGS Library Catalog.

[Series title page reads:]

8°: [i]-x, [1]-270 p. Page size: 208 x 124 mm.

Contents: [i-ii], Blank, verso series title page.; [iii-iv], Title page, verso blank.; [v]-x, "Allgemeines."; [1]-270, Text.

Rare. Covers the discovers made in chemical mineralogy between 1849 to 1853. This was the last supplement to the author's Handwörterbuch des chemischen Theils der Mineralogie.

Bibliographical references: Dana's 7th (Bibliography): 79. • Jahresberichte (Berzelius): 22, 118. • USGS Library Catalog.

8°: [i]-vi, [2], [1]-236 p., 250 woodcuts, 3 plates (crystallographic projections).

Contents: [i-ii], Title page, verso blank.; [iii]-iv, "Vorwort."-dated 1 March 1852.; [v]-vi, "Inhalt."; [1 pg], "Druckfehler."; [1 pg], Blank.; [1]-197, Text.; 198-236, "Anhang."; [At end], 3 plates.

Very scarce. "This work is a text book of elementary crystallography, in which the subject is presented with clearness, and well illustrated with figures. The chapter on Isomorphism and other points in chemical crystallography, give special value to the work" (AJS Review).

After a short introduction, the work is divided into three major sections: I. Crystallography (p. 6-140), II. Crystal Physics (p. 141-162), and III. Crystal Chemistry (p. 163-197). A supplement concludes the work.

Bibliographical references: American Journal of Science: 2nd Series, 15 (1853), 431. • Katalog Bergakademie Freiberg, 1879: p. 532-3 [VI. 837.]. • NUC. • USGS Library Catalog.

8°: π⁸ 1-25⁸ 26⁵; 212l.; [i]-xvi, [1]-410 p., 401 reverse woodcut illustrations of crystals. Page size: 221 x 137 mm.

Contents: [i-ii], Half title page, verso blank.; [iii-iv], Title page, verso blank.; [v], Dedication to E. Mitscherlich.; [vi], Blank.; [vii]-x, "Vorrede."; [xi]-xvi, "Inhalt."; [1]-5, "Einleitung."; [6]-13, "Ueber die Berechnung der Krystalle."; [14]-26, "Einfache Stoffe."; 26-271, "Unorganische Verbindungen."; 271-410, "Organische Verbindungen."

Very scarce. Rammelsberg designed his Handbuch der Krystallographischen Chemie to contain information that was lacking from most general treatises on chemistry, namely the crystallographic information about chemical compounds. With immense effort he collected together the systems, simple forms, twinning information, and angles of all the laboratory crystals which had been described, adding full references so that the reader could always go to the original source. No one during the nineteenth century contributed more to the crystallographic knowledge of chemical compounds than did Rammelsberg with his Handbuch.

The illustration technique used in this work is a reverse cut. So instead of seeing a crystal drawing in outline as is usually the case, a black rectangle is printed with the crystal shape shown in white. Very few mineralogical works used this technique, and this work and its supplement are perhaps the finest examples.

Bibliographical references: Dana's 7th (Bibliography): 79. • Freilich Sale Catalog: no. 450. • NUC. • USGS Library Catalog.

9. German, 1857 [Supplement].
Die neuesten Forschungen in der krystallographischen Chemie. Zugleich als Supplement zu dem Handbuch der krystallographischen Chemie von C.F. Rammelsberg ... Mit 207 in den Text eingedruckten Holzschnitten. Leipzig: A. Foerstnersche Buchhandlung (Arthur Felix), 1857.

8°: π⁴ 1-14⁸ 15²; 118l.; [i]-viii, [1]-227, [1] errata p., 207 reverse woodcut illustrations of crystals. Page size: 221 x 137 mm.

Contents: [i-ii], Title page, verso blank.; [iii]-iv, "Vorwort."; [v]-viii, "Inhalt."; [1]-3, "Zur Berechnung des eingliedrigen Systems."; 3-7, "Einfache Stoffe."; 8-135, "Unorganische Verbindungen."; 135-227, "Organische Verbindungen."; [1 pg], "Verbesserungen zum Handbuch."

Very scarce. First Supplement to the author's Handbuch der Krystallographischen Chemie (Berlin, 1855), and containing the latest researches on laboratory manufactured crystals. This supplement relies a great deal on the researches of J. Schabus and C. Galissard de Marignac.

Bibliographical references: NUC.

8°: [i]-lxx, [1]-1038 p.

Contents: [i-ii], Half title page, "Handbuch | Der | Mineralchemie," verso blank.; [iii-iv], Title page, verso "Das Recht ..."; [v], Dedication to Heinrich Rose and Gustav Rose.; [vi], Blank.; [vii]-viii, "Vorrede."-dated March 1860.; [ix]-xvi, "Inhalt."; [xvii]-lxvii, "Einleitung."; [lxviii]-lxx, "Literatur."; [1], Sectional title page, "Mineralien."; [2], Blank.; [3]-1026, Text.; [1027]-1038, "Register der einzelnen Artikel."

Very scarce. In the nineteenth century, Rammelsberg did as much as any scientist to explore the mineral composition of minerals. In this work, totally rewritten and different in its arrangement from the famous Handwörterbuch des chemischen Theils der Mineralogie, he gives a complete history of the chemical properties of each mineral species. The introductory matter discusses the analysis of minerals, calculation of results, the function of water, heteromorphism, isomorphism, homoeomorphism, etc., together with a long list of literature. The text proper is then presented, arranged according to the chemical composition of the mineral species. At its publication, this book was the grandest work of its type ever to appear, and although used by many mineralogists of the time, it was still faulted for containing errors.

Bibliographical references: American Journal of Science: 2nd series, 31 (1861), p. 354-6. • Bolton, Bibliography of Chemistry, 1893: p. 760. • NUC. • USGS Library Catalog.

[Part 1] 8°: [i]-vii, [1 blank], [1]-136 p.; [Part 2] 8°: [i]-xiv, [1], [1] blank, 1-710, [1], [1] blank, 713-744 p., biblio., index.

Contents: [Part 1] [i-ii], Title page, verso "Das Recht der Uebersetzung bleibt vorbehalten."; [iii]-iv, "Vorrede zur ersten Auflage."; [v]-vi, "Vorrede zur zweiten Auflage."; [viii], Blank.; [1]-100, Text.; [101]-136, "Tabellarische Uebersicht der chemischen Natur der wichtigen Mineralien."

[Part 2] [i-ii], Half title page, verso blank.; [iii-iv], Title page, verso "Das Recht der Uebersetzung bliebt vorbehalten.; [v]-viii, "Literatur."; [ix]-xiv, "Inhalt."; [xv], "Atomgewichte der Elemente."; [xvi], Blank.; [1]-710, Text.; [711], "Anhang Zersetzungsproducte früher organischer Verbindungen."; [712], Blank.; [713]-734, Text of Appendix.; [735]-742, "Register."; [743]-744, "Verbesserungen."

Very scarce. The general plan of the volume is that adopted by the author in the first edition of 1860, with the most important changes occuring from new discoveries in chemistry. The first part contains a general statement on the subject of mineral chemistry, including detailed discussions of isomorphism and heteromorphism as they apply to minerals. The second part takes up the mineral species in order, giving under each a synopsis of the analyses published, especially the most recent. For each analysis the chemical ratios of the elements is calculated in full, and from them the formulas of the minerals are deduced.

Bibliographical references: American Journal of Science: 3rd Series, 11 (1876), 413. • Dana's 7th (Bibliography): 79. • NUC. • USGS Library Catalog. • Whewell, History of the Inductive Sciences, 1858: 2, 628 ["Rammelsberg has collected an account of the systems, simple forms and angles of all the laborator."].

12. German, 1886.
Die chemische natur der mineralien. Berlin, C. Habel, 1886.

8°: 89, [1] p. Very scarce.

Bibliographical references: NUC. • USGS Library Catalog.