Smallpox Vaccine

“Inoculation” was around since the 1500s in the ottoman Empire. British woman brought the concept to Europe around 1725. Edward Jenner, born in 1749, he noticed something peculiar about milkmaids, Jenner began to vaccinate people with the cowpox virus. “Vaccine” is a cure of a disease. They are generally a weakened version of the actual disease. “Vaccine” comes from the cowpox virus (vaccna- means “from the cow”) Jenner wasn’t the first to make the connection between cowpox and smallpox but no one else made attempts to publicize the knowledge, and Jenner did. He conducted numerous trials to convince the Royal Society. The vaccine was introduced in America in the 1780s. Administered in most nations by 1810.

Voltaic Pile

Vlta was born in Italy in 1745, he was interested in electricity and the writing of Ben Franklin. He invented the Volta pistol. Luigi Galvani made frogs legs twitch. Volta built the pile to refute falvanis theory. The Voltaic pile delivered continuous electric current. Alternating stacks of copper and zinc plates and electrolyte. Batteries have (+) and (-) terminals Electrons flow from (-) to 9 (+). Positive ions accumulate on zinc. Loose electrons recombine with positive ions. Chemical reactions produce the electricity. Volta submitted a paper to the Royal Society. 

Arc Light 

Humphrey Davy was born in England in 1778. He became interested in chemistry and electricity. Davy experimented with laughing gas. Built his own voltaic piles to do experiments. Invented the arc light using very strong batteries. The arc light is extremely bright, an arc jumps between the two rods. Electrons flow through the air when the electric field is strong enough the electricity consumes the carbon rods. The light is bright enough to light up large buildings and streets. It didn’t take off quickly. The advancement of lighthouse technology created a market for the arc light. Limelight was invented in the 1820s. It could be used in lighthouses but how to transport the gas? Genervators by 1875 were built to power the arc light. 

Dalton’s Atomic Theory

John Dalton was born in England in 1766. He loved education, he became a professor and a private tutor. He was fascinated by meteorology. Devised atomic theory after years of study and experimentation. He founded upon two laws. 1- All matter is made of atoms. 2- Atoms of the same element are the same. 3- Compounds are combinations of multiple elements. 4- Chemical reactions are elements being rearranged. Theory became the new universal language of chemistry. Dalton published his theory in a book (1808) Protected it to his friends in letters. He joined prominent scientific societies. Continued to tutor and teach his theory to others.