Lothar Meyer and the Development of the Periodic Table

Lothar Meyer is a notable figure in the history of chemistry, best known for his contributions to the periodic classification of elements. Born on August 19, 1830, in Varel, Germany (then part of the Duchy of Oldenburg), Meyer's life was marked by significant academic and professional milestones.

Meyer's early education took place at the Altes Gymnasium in Oldenburg, after which he studied medicine at the University of Zurich in 1851. His interest in physiology led him to devote his attention to physiological chemistry, and he later attended the University of Würzburg as a student of Rudolf Virchow to study pathology.

In 1854, Meyer graduated with a Doctor of Medicine degree from Würzburg University, whereupon he went on to Heidelberg University to work under Robert Bunsen. It was during this period that Meyer's fascination with the physiology of respiration grew stronger, leading him to recognize the combination of oxygen with hemoglobin in blood.

Meyer's career took a significant turn when he accepted a post at the Eberswalde Forestry Academy at Neustadt-Eberswalde in 1866. Two years later, he was appointed to a professorship at the Karlsruhe Polytechnic, where he became influenced by the mathematical teaching of Gustav Kirchhoff.

In 1872, Meyer proposed that the six carbon atoms in the benzene ring were interconnected by single bonds only, with each carbon atom's fourth valence directed toward the interior of the ring. This groundbreaking idea was a significant contribution to the field of organic chemistry.

During his time at the University of Tübingen, where he served as Professor of Chemistry from 1876 until his death in 1895, Meyer continued to work on his periodic table classification system. He was one of the pioneers in developing the earliest versions of this table, alongside his chief rival, Dmitri Mendeleev.

In addition to his academic pursuits, Meyer also took an active role in caring for the wounded during the Franco-Prussian War, when the Polytechnic was used as a hospital.

Throughout his life, Meyer was known simply by his middle name, Lothar, and not by his first given name. His contributions to chemistry, particularly in the field of periodic classification, continue to be celebrated today.

Lothar meyer periodic table