FREE ESSAY ON IRA REMSEN

IRA REMSEN

The life of Ira Remsen
Ira Remsen was born on February 10, 1846 in New York 
city. Even though he was born in the United States, he was
educated in Germany. He received his M.D. at Columbia University in 1867 and he also
earned a Ph.D. at the University of Munich and Gottingen in Germany. After receiving his
degrees, Remsen began his investigation in pure chemistry at the University of Tubingen.

It was in Germany and in Europe Remsen did most of his research. In 1876 he returned to
the United States where his became one of the original faculty of Johns Hopkins
University. There he founded the chemistry department. He was an excellent professor who
trained a generation of prominent chemists. He was also the Director of the Chemical
Laboratory and secretary of the Academic Council. In 1879, he was the founding editor of
American Chemical Journal. Also in that same year, he made a remarkable, accidental
discovery with a fellow researcher Constantine Fahlberg when they were working on a
derivative of coal tar. 
One night, after a long day in his laboratory 
He we was having dinner with wife. When he was eating a regular roll. Remsen noticed that
it was quite sweet at first, but it left a bitter after-taste. He made his wife taste the
bread and he found nothing wrong or something unusual about the taste. So Remsen decided
to taste his fingers and there he found that same sweet then bitter taste despite washing
his hands thoroughly after working in his lab. After dinner, he returned to his
laboratory and started to taste all the chemicals he was handling. When he found that
chemical, it was oxidation of o-toluenesulfonamide and he called it saccharin. In 1880,
Remsen and Fahlberg published their findings in the February issue of The Chemical
Journal.
Many people thought that it was Constantine who discovered saccharin, but he stole the
formula from Remsen. When they stopped working together, Constantine patented the formula
and became filthy rich. As a result Remsen didn't received any credit for the discovery.
Constantine
received the recognition that Remsen earned and rightfully deserved. Remsen was furious
at first about the matter; it makes my blood boil to see the lies that scoundrel Fahlberg
constantly, constantly in print, and to see further, that they are generally believed.
Later Remsen would apologize for this outburst. 
Remsen moved to bigger and better things. In 1901, he was appointed President of Johns
Hopkins University, there in that same year, he wrote several important textbooks on
chemistry. Remsen also found the School of Engineering at Johns Hopkins. He introduced
many German laboratory methods into Johns Hopkins and emphasized the university's
function as a research centre. At the time at Johns Hopkins he helped establish the
school as a leading graduate science teaching institute in the United States, never
seeking fame or fortune for his contributions to science. His work on the research-based
Doctoral program at Hopkins was considered important improvement to science in the United
States.
In 1913, Dr. Ira Remsen stepped down as president at
Johns Hopkins University. Remsen still continued to 
keep chemistry the number one priority in his life. He moved and resided in Carmel,
California. Until his passing away on March 4, 1927 of natural causes.
Saccharin
Saccharin is derived from the Latin word saccharum, meaning sugar. Saccharin is also
called Ortho-sulfobenzoic acid imide; the formula is C6H4CONHSO2. Saccharin is a
synthetic, white, crystalline powder that melts at 228.08 to 229.7 degrees Celsius and
very soluble in water. It is 550 times as sweet as sugar cane. And it is also estimated
to have a sweetening power 375 times that of sugar. When saccharin is dissolved in water
in large amounts, the solution is very bitter. Sweetness is only evident in a diluted
solution. Saccharin cannot be digested by the body and has no food values. Those who are
diabetic and people who ate on weight reducing diets use it in place of sugar. They used
it for the psychological purpose of satisfying a taste for sweetness. Many critics say
that that saccharin can itself stimulate the appetite and the production of insulin in
the body. 
For several years, saccharin has been under investigation as a risk for cancer. It was
banned in Canada in 1977 for that same reason. But in the United States Public reaction
has help to keep saccharin on the market. The Food and Drug Administration requires that
warning labels to be put on products containing saccharin.
Time Line of The Life of Ira Remsen
1846: Born on February 10th in New York City
Childhood - Lived and educated in Germany
1867: Received Masters Degree from Columbia University
1870: Earned Ph.D. at Universities of Munich and
Gottingen in Germany.
Started research into pure chemistry at University of Tubingen.
1872: Moved back to the United States 
1875: Became one of the original faculties of Johns Hopkins university
1876: Founded the Chemistry department at Johns Hopkins and became Director of the
chemical laboratory
1879: Accidentally discovered saccharin and founded The American Chemical Journal. Also
wrote important textbooks.
1887: Named Secretary of the Academic Council
1901: Became president of Johns Hopkins university 
Ended his term of Secretary of the Academic Council
1908: Stepped down as Director of Chemical Laboratory
1913: Retired as President, a professor, and as the editor of American Chemical Journal.
1927 Died on March 4th of natural causes
Ira Remsen
A scientist unknown his work
Remy Agenor
March 19, 1999
Honors Chemistry
Period Five
Bibliography
Bibliography
1.SacchrinMicrosoft?Encarta?Encyclopedia. ? 1993-1997 Microsoft Corporation. 
2.Ira RemsenThe Cambridge Dictionary of American Biography, By J.S Bowmen. ?1995Cambridge
University.
3.http://www.jhu.edu/-gazette/1994/aug2294/remsen.html