|
|
|
|
Richard Laming
|
| |
|
| |
Richard Laming (c. 1798–May 3, 1897) was a British surgeon, natural philosopher, inventor, chemist and industrialist.
There is some uncertainty about his origins. It is believed that he was born Margate, England 17/08/1799, the son James Laming, a packet owner, and Sarah Walton. He had an elder brother James, born 1791, who was a prosperous merchant. In 1825, Richard qualified for membership in the Royal College of Surgeons, and he established a practice in London.
During his leisure moments, Richard developed an interest in the theory of electricity.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'Richard Laming' Start a new discussion about 'Richard Laming' Answer questions from other users |
Encyclopedia
Richard Laming (c. 1798–May 3, 1897) was a British surgeon, natural philosopher, inventor, chemist and industrialist.
There is some uncertainty about his origins. It is believed that he was born Margate, England 17/08/1799, the son James Laming, a packet owner, and Sarah Walton. He had an elder brother James, born 1791, who was a prosperous merchant. In 1825, Richard qualified for membership in the Royal College of Surgeons, and he established a practice in London.
During his leisure moments, Richard developed an interest in the theory of electricity. Between 1838 and 1851 he published a series of papers speculating about the electrical makeup of atoms. He hypothesized that there existed sub-atomic particles of unit charge; perhaps one of the first persons ever to do so. He suggested that the atom was made up of a core of material surrounded by concentric shells of these electrical 'atoms', or particles. He also believed that these particles could be added or subtracted to an atom, changing its charge.
Around 1844, he suggested a mechanism for an insulator as an atom surrounded by a "perfect external spherical strata" of electrical particles. He also supposed that chemical reactions could occur when two atoms share an electrical charge. However, perhaps because he provided no experimental backing for his ideas, he received little interest from the Royal Society.
In 1838 he moved to Paris, where he remained for about a decade. There his ideas also received little interest and he was regarded as eccentric. His medical practice apparently ended some time around 1842. When he returned to England his interests leaned toward chemistry, and began working in the coal-gas industry.
He applied for several patents:
- 1844, for improvements in the purification and application of ammonia.
- 1847, for a continuous recuperator made of iron tubes, which may be the oldest such device known.
- 1850, Improvements in the manufacture of gas for illumination and other purposes to which coal gas is applicable.
- 1861, Improvements in manufacturing alkaline carbonates.
The 1850 patent is for the Laming process, which was a method of removing hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide from coal gas.
During the 1860s, he apparently became interested in the telegraph and he applied for two patents for improvements to the device. He retired around 1865 to live along the south coast of England. He died May 3, 1879 in Arundel, Sussex. He was twice married and had at least two sons.
Bibliography
|
| |
|
|
