Chemistry

1. Patrick Chiu

A History of Western Pharmacy in China

Throughout his career, Patrick has worked in various sectors of pharmacy, including community, hospital, and industrial pharmacy. He has held senior leadership positions with global biotech and health care companies and NGOs, such as BD, Chi Heng Foundation, Monsanto, Molnlycke Health Care, Nature's Bounty, and Roche, primarily in Greater China and the Asia Pacific region. Since 2000, Patrick has dedicated himself to independent research in the history of exotic elements of materia medica including hulu originating from the ancient Silk Roads. Over the past decade, he has focused on scholarly research concerning Western pharmacy in China's treaty ports and Colonial Hong Kong. His sixth book “A History of Western Pharmacy in China” is now launched by Springer Nature in January 2024. Inspired by the seminal work of KC Wong and Wu Lien-Teh's "Chinese History of Medicine," which was published ninety years ago in 1933, Patrick is currently engaged in a collaborative effort with academics and practitioners from mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, and overseas. Together, they are working on a five-volume series titled "Chinese History of Pharmacy: From Shennong to Tu Youyou". The series aims to provide a comprehensive account of the evolution and development of pharmacy in China throughout history. The anticipated release of this significant series is scheduled to take place online, commencing in the second half of 2024. With contributions from experts across different regions and backgrounds, this ambitious project promises to shed light on the rich and diverse heritage of Chinese pharmacy, offering valuable insights into its ancient origins and contemporary advancements. Patrick is the founder and president of the Hong Kong Society for the History of Pharmacy. He is a regular contributor to the Pharmaceutical Historian and serves as a senior non-resident fellow at Shanghai University. 

1. Marcellin , Berthelot
2. Jules , Rochard

Histoire de l'alcool

« Histoire de l'alcool » de M. Berthelot et Jules Rochard est un ouvrage fascinant qui retrace le parcours de cette substance emblématique à travers les âges. Les auteurs, experts reconnus dans leurs domaines respectifs, offrent une perspective unique sur la découverte de l'alcool et son impact profond sur les sociétés modernes.Le livre débute par une exploration détaillée des origines de l'alcool, retraçant son histoire depuis les premières fermentations accidentelles jusqu'aux techniques de distillation sophistiquées. Berthelot et Rochard mettent en lumière les avancées scientifiques qui ont permis de comprendre et de maîtriser la production d'alcool, s'inscrivant ainsi dans la catégorie des « Livres sur l'histoire des sciences ».Les auteurs analysent ensuite le rôle social complexe de l'alcool à travers les époques. Ils examinent comment les boissons alcoolisées sont devenues partie intégrante de nombreuses cultures, influençant les rituels, les célébrations et même les structures sociales. Cette section offre un éclairage fascinant sur l'évolution des moeurs et des coutumes liées à la consommation d'alcool.L'ouvrage aborde également les aspects plus sombres de l'histoire de l'alcool, notamment l'émergence de l'alcoolisme comme problème de santé publique et les défis sociétaux qui en découlent. Cette analyse critique s'inscrit parfaitement dans la catégorie des « Études sociologiques ».Enfin, Berthelot et Rochard explorent l'industrie moderne de l'alcool, son impact économique et les débats éthiques qu'elle suscite. Cette partie offre une réflexion nuancée sur la place de l'alcool dans nos sociétés contemporaines, faisant de ce livre une lecture incontournable pour quiconque s'intéresse à l'« Histoire culturelle ».

1. Natalie Whittle

Crunch

A cultural history of the nation's favourite snack

A Cultural History of Chemistry in the Nineteenth Century

Explores the birth of modern chemistry in the period from 1815-1914, looking at the elaboration of atomic theory, the growth of the chemical industry, new instruments and practices, the chemical laboratory, and the discovery of radioactivity.

A Cultural History of Chemistry in the Eighteenth Century

Sets the progress of science and technology in its cultural context during the period often described as a "chemical revolution" from 1700-1815.

A Cultural History of Chemistry in the Modern Age

Looks at the impact of chemistry and the chemical industry on science, war, society, and the economy in the "chemical age" from 1914 to the present.