author
active 1780-1810 Mrs. (Elizabeth) Fulhame
A little-known chemist from the late 18th century, she wrote a remarkably bold book that challenged the leading theories of combustion and explored how metals could be deposited onto cloth. Her experiments are now remembered as early steps toward the ideas of catalysis and photoreduction.
1 Audiobook
An essay on combustion, with a view to a new art of dying and painting : Wherein the phlogistic and antiphlogistic hypotheses are proven erroneous
by active 1780-1810 Mrs. (Elizabeth) Fulhame
About the author
Little is known for certain about Mrs. Fulhame's life, and even basic details are often given cautiously. She is usually identified as Elizabeth Fulhame and is best known for her 1794 book An Essay on Combustion, with a View to a New Art of Dying and Painting, published under the name Mrs. Fulhame.
In that work, she investigated chemical processes for applying metals such as gold and silver to textiles. Her experiments led her to argue against both the phlogistic and antiphlogistic theories then being debated, and later historians have recognized her work as an important early contribution to the ideas behind catalysis and photoreduction.
What makes her especially striking is how much she achieved while leaving so little trace in the historical record. She is often remembered today not for a long list of publications, but for one original, confident scientific work that earned lasting respect in the history of chemistry.