Quotes by Carl Wilhelm Scheele

About Carl Wilhelm Scheele:


Carl Wilhelm Scheele was a Swedish Pomeranian pharmaceutical chemist. Isaac Asimov called him "hard-luck Scheele" because he made a number of chemical discoveries before others who are generally given the credit. For example, Scheele discovered oxygen (although Joseph Priestley published his findings first), and identified molybdenum, tungsten, barium, hydrogen, and chlorine before Humphry Davy, among others. Scheele discovered organic acids tartaric, oxalic, uric, lactic, and citric, as well as hydrofluoric, hydrocyanic, and arsenic acids. He preferred speaking German to Swedish his whole life, and German was commonly spoken among Swedish pharmacists.

Author Bio


  • NameCarl Wilhelm Scheele
  • DescriptionSwedish chemist
  • AliasesKarl Wilhelm Scheele
  • BornDecember 9, 1742
  • DiedMay 21, 1786
  • CountryGermany; Sweden
  • ProfessionChemist; Pharmacist