A Thomas Annan photograph of a portrait of Joseph Black (1728-1799). The painting was by David Martin.
Black was born in Bordeaux and became a lecturer in Chemistry and Professor of Medicine at the University of Glasgow between 1756 and 1766. He is credited with the discovery of carbon dioxide during his research in 1750-1752. He also worked on the concept of latent heat, aiding the developments made to the steam engine by his friend James Watt.
Black was a flute-playing vegetarian. He was also a practising physician who could list King George III, the philosopher David Hume and Walter Scott's first nurse among his patients.
Reference: Mitchell Library, GC 920.041435 COR
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
authors, carbon dioxide, Chemistry, discoverers, doctors, flute players, latent heat, lecturers, Medicine, musicians, novelists, nurses, philosophers, physicians, portraits, professors, scientists, steam engines, University of Glasgow, vegetarians