Andreas Libavius (redirected from Basilius de Varna)

Libavius, Andreas 

Born circa 1550 in Halle; died July 25, 1616, in Coburg. German chemist and physician.

In his book Alchemy (1597), Libavius systematically set forth practical information on chemistry and described the preparation of sulfuric acid (by burning sulfur in the presence of potassium nitrate) and stannic chloride (by heating tin with mercuric chloride). A follower of Paracelsus, Libavius nevertheless expressed opposition to the extremes of the latter’s teachings.

REFERENCES

Figurovskii, N. A. Ocherk obshchei istorii khimii, ot drevneishikh vremen do nachala XIX veka. Moscow, 1969. Pages 147–50.
Partington, J. R. A History of Chemistry, vol. 2. London-New York, 1961. Pages 244–67.