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Impact on Society and its Effect on Chemical Progress

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How Glass Changed the World

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Molecular Science ((BRIESFHISTCHEM,volume 3))

Abstract

As presented in the previous chapter, the Venetian advancements in glassmaking led to its application in laboratory apparatus and development of laboratory glassware. While in many cases, the new laboratory glassware followed older designs previously fabricated from inferior materials, the quality and clarity of the Venetian glass also led to completely new and important objects such as lenses. In fact, some have stated that the most important long term consequence of clear glass manufacture was its development as a thinking tool through the production of mirrors, lenses, and eyeglasses. Through its application in eyeglasses, glass has corrected and helped preserve our eyesight, and its use in the telescope, microscope, spectrometer, and other optical instruments has widened and deepened our ability to see that which is very small or far away. This final chapter will outline the application of glass to the development of such additional critical glass objects and instruments, along with a discussion of how the developments in both the previous and current chapter impacted both society and progress in the chemical sciences.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Alternate forms include Sacharias Jansen, Zacharius Jansen, Zacharias Janssen, and Zacharias Janssens [2, 8, 20].

  2. 2.

    Hans is the diminutive form of Johannes, but can also be an independent given name.

  3. 3.

    Surname sometimes given as Lippersheim [20].

  4. 4.

    Also known as Santorio Santorio or Sanctorious [M,N].

  5. 5.

    Known also as Vital du Four, Vital du Fourca, and Joannes Vitalis. He was a Franciscan theologian and scholastic philosopher who played a prominent role in the controversy over the Franciscan conception of usus pauper. He was born at Bazas in Aquitaine, about 60 km southeast of Bordeaux. He entered the Franciscan order at an early age and went to study theology at Paris from 1285 to 1291. He taught at Montpellier from 1292 to 1296, after which he was transferred to the University of Toulouse. He was made cardinal-priest by Pope Clement V in 1312 and became bishop of Albano in 1321 [36].

  6. 6.

    Arnaldus de Vill Nova, or Villanovanus. Born near Valencia about 1240 (c. 1234–1250), he studied medicine at Naples, traveled extensively, living in Paris, Montpellier, Barcelona, and Rome. He was a Catalan physician, alchemist, astrologer, and diplomat, and was a professor at Montpellier at least up to 1309. He translated medical works from Arabic into Latin and had some knowledge of Greek and Hebrew. He realized the value of natural science and suggested that it should be given more importance in education. He was a famous medical practitioner, who was consulted by kings and popes, and is considered by some to be one of the most extraordinary personalities of medieval times. He also had difficulties with the French Inquisition, first in 1299 and again in 1304. He had a large number of writings ascribed to him, most of them dealing with medical subjects and he was one of the first Latin writers to insist upon the virtues of alcohol. Other works dealt with chemistry, astrology, magic and theology. Most of these writings are very short and many are apocryphal. He died at sea towards the end of 1311 while on the way from Naples to Genoa, where he was buried [30, 32, 41].

  7. 7.

    John de Rupescissa or John of Roquetallaide (d. 1362). An often cited author about which little is really known, he lived in the middle of the fourteenth century and was a tertiary member of the Franciscan order. He was known to his contemporaries for his apocalyptic preaching, for which was often imprisoned. He was a Catalan, but a significant number of his books were written in Latin. He studied in Toulouse for five years before entering the Franciscan monastery at Orléans, where he continued his studies for five more years. He was imprisoned for the first time in 1345, and again in 1346, 1349 and 1356. His principle work, De consideratione quintae essentiae (On the consideration of the fifth essence), consists of two parts—canons and remedies; the backbone of which seems to be the medicinal and preservative properties of pure alcohol. The idea of associating alcohol with the quintessence is frequently credited to Rupescissa [32, 42].

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  1. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA

    Seth C. Rasmussen

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Rasmussen, S.C. (2012). Impact on Society and its Effect on Chemical Progress. In: How Glass Changed the World. SpringerBriefs in Molecular Science(), vol 3. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-28183-9_6

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