Humphry Davy
Humphry Davy was born on the 17th of December 1778 in Penzance, Cornwall. He grew up as the eldest of five children to Robert Davy and Grace Millett. His father worked as a woodcarver while his mother managed their household. The town itself held an almost unbounded credulity regarding supernatural matters according to his brother John Davy. Most middle-class residents there preferred hunting or cockfighting over reading books. Young Humphry attended the grammar school at Penzance starting at age six. Three years later his family moved to Varfell near Ludgvan. He boarded with his godfather John Tonkin during term time. Tonkin paid for him to finish education at Truro Grammar School under Rev Dr Cardew. The doctor wrote dryly that he could not discern the faculties by which Davy would be distinguished. Davy entertained friends by writing poetry and telling stories from One Thousand and One Nights. He once told his mother that learning naturally is a true pleasure yet schools made it pain. He believed he was left much to himself as a child. "What I am I made myself" he declared in a letter home.
In 1799 Davy became increasingly well known due to experiments with nitrous oxide gas. Joseph Priestley first synthesized this substance in 1772 calling it dephlogisticated nitrous air. Davy breathed sixteen quarts of pure laughing gas for nearly seven minutes. He said the experience absolutely intoxicated him. His enthusiastic experimental subjects included poet Robert Southey and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. James Watt built a portable gas chamber to facilitate these inhalation experiments. At one point the gas was combined with wine to judge its efficacy as a cure for hangover. Laboratory notebooks indicated success in treating hangovers. In his 1800 Researches Chemical and Philosophical Davy commented that nitrous oxide appeared capable of destroying pain. He suggested it might be used with advantage during surgical operations where no great effusion of blood takes place. Anesthetics were not regularly used in medicine or dentistry until decades after Davy's death. The gas was popular among friends and acquaintances who gathered to witness the effects. Davy noted how necessary it is to repeat experiments when making discoveries about gaseous oxides of azote.
Davy went on to electrolyse molten salts using voltaic piles to prepare many new elements. He discovered potassium in 1807 deriving it from caustic potash. Before the 19th century no distinction had been made between potassium and sodium. Potassium became the first metal isolated by electrolysis. Davy isolated sodium in the same year by passing an electric current through molten sodium hydroxide. During the first half of 1808 he conducted further electrolysis experiments on alkaline earths including lime magnesia strontites and barytes. On the 30th of June 1808 Davy reported to the Royal Society that he had successfully isolated four new metals named barium calcium strontium and magnium. Magnium later changed to magnesium. Observations from these experiments led to Davy isolating boron in 1809. Berzelius called Davy's 1806 Bakerian Lecture one of the best memoirs which has ever enriched the theory of chemistry. Davy performed experiments aimed to isolate aluminum and is credited as the person who named the element. The name alum was created from English word alum and Latin suffix -ium though this form was not adopted universally.
On the 25th of April 1801 Davy gave his first lecture on the relatively new subject of Galvanism at the Royal Institution. He and friend Coleridge had many conversations about human knowledge and progress. His lectures gave audiences a vision of civilization brought forward by scientific discovery. Science bestowed powers almost called creative enabling humans to modify beings surrounding them. The first lecture garnered rave reviews. By the June lecture attendance reached nearly 500 people. There was Respiration Nitrous Oxide and unbounded Applause. Davy revelled in his public status. His lectures included spectacular and sometimes dangerous chemical demonstrations along with scientific information. They were presented with considerable showmanship by the young and handsome man. Davy also included both poetic and religious commentary emphasizing that God's design was revealed by chemical investigations. Religious commentary served partly to appeal to women in his audiences. Davy acquired a large female following around London. A satirical cartoon by Gillray showed nearly half of attendees pictured as female. His support of women caused him to be subjected to considerable gossip and innuendo. Critics labelled him unmanly for these actions.
In October 1813 Davy and his wife travelled to France accompanied by Michael Faraday as scientific assistant. Their party sailed from Plymouth to Morlaix by cartel where they were searched. Upon reaching Paris Davy was guest of honour at meeting of First Class. He met André-Marie Ampère and other French chemists. Davy attended lectures at Ecole Polytechnique including those by Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac on mysterious substance isolated by Bernard Courtois. This led to dispute between Davy and Gay-Lussac on priority regarding research. The party did not meet Napoleon in person but visited Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais at Château de Malmaison. Davy's party left Paris in December 1813 travelling south to Italy. They sojourned in Florence using burning glass of Grand Duke of Tuscany to ignite diamond proving it composed of pure carbon. Davy continued to Rome undertaking experiments on iodine chlorine and colours used in ancient paintings. This marked first chemical research on pigments used by artists. He also visited Naples and Mount Vesuvius collecting samples of crystals. By June 1814 they reached Milan where they met Alessandro Volta before continuing north to Geneva.
After return to England in 1815 Davy began experimenting with lamps for coal mines. Revd Dr Robert Gray of Bishopwearmouth wrote suggesting use of extensive stores of chemical knowledge to address mining explosions caused by firedamp. Incidents such as Felling mine disaster of 1812 near Newcastle killed 92 men. Widows and children had to be supported by public purse following tragedy. Davy conceived using iron gauze to enclose lamp flame preventing methane from passing out to general atmosphere. Although idea already demonstrated by William Reid Clanny and engineer George Stephenson Davy's wire gauze design was used by many inventors later. George Stephenson's lamp became very popular in north-east coalfields but used different means. New design offered protection initially yet gave much less light quickly deteriorating in wet conditions. Rusting of gauze made lamp unsafe causing number of deaths from firedamp explosions to rise further. Davy refused to patent the lamp. Invention led to him being awarded Rumford medal in 1816. The work generally agreed independent despite discussion about Smithson Tennant's contribution.
Elections took place on St Andrew's Day and Davy elected president on the 30th of November 1820. He was unopposed though other candidates received initial backing. These candidates embodied factional difficulties besetting his presidency eventually defeating him. Strongest alternative had been William Hyde Wollaston supported by Cambridge Network including Charles Babbage and John Herschel. They tried to block Davy aware he would not sufficiently encourage aspiring young mathematicians astronomers and geologists. Davy only 41 years old when reformers feared another long presidency. In early years Davy optimistic about reconciling reformers and Banksians. First speech as president declared trust that new societies preserve most amicable relations. From 1761 onwards copper plating fitted undersides of Royal Navy ships protecting wood from shipworms. Between 1823 and 1825 Davy attempted protect copper by electrochemical means attaching sacrificial pieces zinc or iron providing cathodic protection. Protected copper became foul quickly with marine creatures attached hindering handling of ship. By end of 1825 Admiralty ordered Navy Board cease fitting protectors to sea-going ships. Scheme seen as public failure despite success of corrosion protection itself.
Davy spent last months writing Consolations in Travel an immensely popular compendium of poetry thoughts on science and philosophy. Published posthumously work became staple of scientific and family libraries for several decades afterward. He spent winter in Rome hunting Campagna on his fiftieth birthday. On the 20th of February 1829 he suffered another stroke after many months attempting recuperate. Davy died in room at L'Hôtel de la Couronne Rue du Rhône Geneva Switzerland on the 29th of May 1829. Appendix to will included wishes no post-mortem burial where died interval between two ensuring not merely comatose. Ordinances city did not allow such interval funeral took place following Monday the 1st of June Plainpalais Cemetery outside city walls. Shortly after funeral wife organized memorial tablet Westminster Abbey costing £142. In 1872 statue erected front Market Building Penzance top Market Jew Street. A commemorative slate plaque claims location birthplace. Secondary school Coombe Road named Humphry Davy School. Pub Alverton Street called The Sir Humphry Davy. One science building University Plymouth named Davy Building. Road Humphry Davy Way adjacent docks Bristol. Outside Sunderland Football Club Stadium of Light stands giant Davy Lamp recognizing local mining heritage.
Up Next
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When and where was Humphry Davy born?
Humphry Davy was born on the 17th of December 1778 in Penzance, Cornwall. He grew up as the eldest of five children to Robert Davy and Grace Millett.
What did Humphry Davy discover about nitrous oxide gas in 1799?
In 1799 Humphry Davy discovered that nitrous oxide could destroy pain and suggested it might be used with advantage during surgical operations. His enthusiastic experimental subjects included poet Robert Southey and Samuel Taylor Coleridge while laboratory notebooks indicated success in treating hangovers.
Which elements did Humphry Davy isolate using electrolysis between 1807 and 1809?
Humphry Davy isolated potassium in 1807 deriving it from caustic potash and sodium in the same year by passing an electric current through molten sodium hydroxide. On the 30th of June 1808 he reported to the Royal Society that he had successfully isolated four new metals named barium calcium strontium and magnium before isolating boron in 1809.
Why did Humphry Davy travel to France and Italy in October 1813?
Humphry Davy traveled to France and Italy in October 1813 accompanied by Michael Faraday as scientific assistant to meet French chemists including André-Marie Ampère and Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac. The party visited Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais at Château de Malmaison and continued south to Italy where they sojourned in Florence and Rome undertaking experiments on iodine chlorine and colors used in ancient paintings.
How did Humphry Davy improve safety for coal miners after 1815?
After return to England in 1815 Humphry Davy began experimenting with lamps for coal mines using iron gauze to enclose lamp flame preventing methane from passing out to general atmosphere. Although idea already demonstrated by William Reid Clanny and engineer George Stephenson Davy's wire gauze design was used by many inventors later while invention led to him being awarded Rumford medal in 1816.
When and how did Humphry Davy die?
Humphry Davy died in room at L'Hôtel de la Couronne Rue du Rhône Geneva Switzerland on the 29th of May 1829 following another stroke suffered on the 20th of February 1829. Funeral took place following Monday the 1st of June at Plainpalais Cemetery outside city walls while wife organized memorial tablet Westminster Abbey costing £142 shortly after funeral.