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Justus von Liebig: The Chemical Gatekeeper (Cambridge Science Biographies)

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Baron Justus von Liebig was one of the most important chemists of the nineteenth century. He was, for instance, one of the founders of organic chemistry and largely responsible for the increasingly important study of biochemistry and bacteriology. His early work on agricultural chemistry revolutionized both British and American agriculture. His work on animal chemistry, combined with his agricultural work, to establish an influential theory of disease. William Brock's book is an admirably clear, understandable, and interesting study of von Liebig's life and career. His chapters are arranged topically, "Liebig and the Doctors," for instance. This makes reading on particular topics much easier than it would otherwise be. His footnotes and bibliography are well presented, thorough, and do not clutter up the text. Those interested in either the history of science or the cross-cultural influences between Germany and Victorian Britain will find this study both informative and very interesting, even if they are not scientists themselves.