G. W. Scott Blair
Encyclopedia
George William Scott Blair (1902–1987) was British chemist noted for his contributions to rheology
. In fact he has been called "the first rheologist"
UK and went to Winchester College
. He studied chemistry
at Trinity College, Oxford
receiving a BA
in 1923.
He began work as a colloid
chemist, studying flour
suspensions which led to a series of papers on baker's dough
. In 1926 he joined the Rothamsted Experimental Station
, where the focus was on soil science
. In 1928 he married Rita, who survived him.
In December 1929 Scott Blair attended the founding meeting of the Society of Rheology in Washington, D.C. Chemist Eugene C. Bingham
led the new society concerned with the problems of flow. Scott Blair held a Rockefeller Fellowship at the time. In 1931 Markus Reiner
visited Scott Blair in England beginning a long friendship.
In 1937 he became Head of the Chemistry Department (and later headed the Physics Department as well) at the National Institute for Research in Dairying, at Shinfield
near Reading
until his retirement in 1967. He died in 1987.
, which he co-founded, published an obituary. His contribution to medical science was recognised in his obituary in the journal Thrombosis Research.
Rheology
Rheology is the study of the flow of matter, primarily in the liquid state, but also as 'soft solids' or solids under conditions in which they respond with plastic flow rather than deforming elastically in response to an applied force....
. In fact he has been called "the first rheologist"
Life
Scott Blair was born 23 July 1902, in WeybridgeWeybridge
Weybridge is a town in the Elmbridge district of Surrey in South East England. It is bounded to the north by the River Thames at the mouth of the River Wey, from which it gets its name...
UK and went to Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
. He studied chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
at Trinity College, Oxford
Trinity College, Oxford
The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
receiving a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1923.
He began work as a colloid
Colloid
A colloid is a substance microscopically dispersed evenly throughout another substance.A colloidal system consists of two separate phases: a dispersed phase and a continuous phase . A colloidal system may be solid, liquid, or gaseous.Many familiar substances are colloids, as shown in the chart below...
chemist, studying flour
Flour
Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...
suspensions which led to a series of papers on baker's dough
Dough
Dough is a paste made out of any cereals or leguminous crops by mixing flour with a small amount of water and/or other liquid. This process is a precursor to making a wide variety of foodstuffs, particularly breads and bread-based items , flatbreads, noodles, pastry, and similar items)...
. In 1926 he joined the Rothamsted Experimental Station
Rothamsted Experimental Station
The Rothamsted Experimental Station, one of the oldest agricultural research institutions in the world, is located at Harpenden in Hertfordshire, England. It is now known as Rothamsted Research...
, where the focus was on soil science
Soil science
Soil science is the study of soil as a natural resource on the surface of the earth including soil formation, classification and mapping; physical, chemical, biological, and fertility properties of soils; and these properties in relation to the use and management of soils.Sometimes terms which...
. In 1928 he married Rita, who survived him.
In December 1929 Scott Blair attended the founding meeting of the Society of Rheology in Washington, D.C. Chemist Eugene C. Bingham
Eugene C. Bingham
Eugene Cook Bingham was a professor and head of the Department of Chemistry at Lafayette College. Bingham made many contributions to rheology, a term he is credited with introducing. He was a pioneer in both its theory and practice...
led the new society concerned with the problems of flow. Scott Blair held a Rockefeller Fellowship at the time. In 1931 Markus Reiner
Markus Reiner
- Biography :Reiner was born in 1886 in Czernowitz, Bukovina, then part of Austria-Hungary, and obtained a degree in Civil Engineering at the Technische Hochschule in Vienna . After the First World War, he emigrated to Palestine, where he worked as a civil engineer under the British mandate...
visited Scott Blair in England beginning a long friendship.
In 1937 he became Head of the Chemistry Department (and later headed the Physics Department as well) at the National Institute for Research in Dairying, at Shinfield
Shinfield
Shinfield is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire, just south of Reading. It contains and is administered by the unitary authority of Wokingham District.-Geography:...
near Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
until his retirement in 1967. He died in 1987.
Work
His contribution to food science was celebrated in a special edition of the Journal of Texture Studies He also initiated what he called psycho-rheology: the effect of food texture on the consumer. However he promoted and was a major contributor to the study of the rheological effects in blood flow to the genitalia, as well as biological systems in general. The journal BiorheologyBiorheology
- Definition :Biorheological research determine and characterize the dynamics of physiological processes at all levels of organization. They include the scientific and technological studies in a broad field that ranges from the rheology of macromolecules and macromolecular arrays to cell, tissue...
, which he co-founded, published an obituary. His contribution to medical science was recognised in his obituary in the journal Thrombosis Research.
Some Publications
- G. W. Scott Blair (1938) An Introduction to Industrial Rheology (Churchill, London)
- G. W. Scott Blair (1949) A Survey of General and Applied Rheology (Pitman, London)
- G. W. Scott Blair (1950) Measurements of Mind and Matter (Dobson, London)
- G. W. Scott Blair (1953) Foodstuffs : their plasticity, fluidity and consistency (Amsterdam)
- G. W. Scott Blair & M. ReinerMarkus Reiner- Biography :Reiner was born in 1886 in Czernowitz, Bukovina, then part of Austria-Hungary, and obtained a degree in Civil Engineering at the Technische Hochschule in Vienna . After the First World War, he emigrated to Palestine, where he worked as a civil engineer under the British mandate...
(1957) Agricultural Rheology (Routledge & Kegan Paul, London) - G. W. Scott Blair (1969) Elementary Rheology (Academic Press, London)
- G. W. Scott Blair (1974) An Introduction to Biorheology (Elsevier, Oxford)