author
Jacob Green
1790–1841
A 19th-century American scientist and medical writer, he helped make subjects like chemistry, natural history, and electricity more accessible to students and general readers. He is also remembered for early work in botany and for describing North American salamanders and trilobites.
2 Audiobooks
An epitome of electricity & galvanism
by Jacob Green, Erskine Hazard
About the author
Born in Philadelphia on July 26, 1790, he was the son of Presbyterian minister and educator Ashbel Green. He studied at the University of Pennsylvania, developed an early interest in botany, and went on to build a career that blended medicine, chemistry, and natural history.
He taught chemistry, experimental philosophy, and natural history at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. His books include An Epitome of Electricity and Galvanism and A Monograph of the Trilobites of North America, showing the wide range of his interests and his talent for explaining science clearly.
He died in Philadelphia on February 1, 1841. Although not widely known today, his work reflects a time when American science was still taking shape, and he stands out as a curious, energetic figure who moved easily between teaching, research, and popular science writing.