Chymia
Chymia published its first issue in 1948, with Tenney L. Davis serving as editor-in-chief. Davis had been born in 1890 and died in 1949, handing the journal's future to others after a single year at its helm. The five people who founded Chymia had organized as a committee in 1947. Charles Albert Browne Jr. chaired that group. Claude K. Deischer, Rudolf Hirsch, Herbert S. Klickstein, and Henry M. Leicester made up the rest. Their goal was a peer-reviewed annual journal devoted to the history of chemistry. Whether a journal this specialized could sustain itself, and who might ultimately carry its work forward, were questions that 1948 could not yet answer.
By 1967, the twelfth and final volume of Chymia had appeared, closing a run of nearly two decades. Almost all of the articles inside were in English, though a small number had been submitted in French or German. In 1969, the journal was incorporated into a new publication called Historical Studies in the Physical Sciences. Russell McCormmach had established that journal, and within its pages, Chymia's focused archive of chemistry's past found a broader home. The title McCormmach chose, Historical Studies in the Physical Sciences, reached beyond chemistry alone. A wider community of historians now shared a single publication.
Common questions
Who founded the journal Chymia?
Chymia was founded by a committee of five scholars organized in 1947. Charles Albert Browne Jr. chaired the committee, with Claude K. Deischer, Rudolf Hirsch, Herbert S. Klickstein, and Henry M. Leicester as the other members.
How many volumes did Chymia publish?
Chymia published twelve volumes in total, appearing annually from 1948 to 1967. It was a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to the history of chemistry.
Who was the first editor-in-chief of Chymia?
Tenney L. Davis served as Chymia's first editor-in-chief, beginning with the inaugural issue in 1948. Davis was born in 1890 and died in 1949, leaving the position after only one year.
What language were most Chymia articles written in?
Almost all articles in Chymia were written in English. A small number appeared in French or German.
What happened to Chymia when it ended in 1967?
In 1969, Chymia was incorporated into Historical Studies in the Physical Sciences, a new journal established by Russell McCormmach. The merger placed Chymia's archive of chemistry history within a publication covering the broader physical sciences.
Who established the journal that absorbed Chymia?
Russell McCormmach established Historical Studies in the Physical Sciences in 1969, the journal that absorbed Chymia. McCormmach's publication took a broader scope, covering the history of the physical sciences rather than chemistry alone.
All sources
2 references cited across the entry
- 1JournalReview of Chymia Annual Studies in the History of ChemistryJ. S. Fruton — 21 August 1948
- 2JournalBook Review: Historical Studies in the Physical Sciences. Vol. 1. Russell McCormmach, ed.Hiebert, Erwin N. — 8 May 1970