Popular science chemistry sets

Rouelle s popular lectures at the Jardin set the stage for chemistry as a public science in Enlightenment Paris, much as Abbe Nollet s lectures at the College did for experimental physics. While public lectures in chemistry had a long history by this time, Rouelle faced a rather delicate task of teaching a mixed audience. On the one hand, he had to maintain the traditional mission of the Jardin to educate prospective apothecaries and physicians in basic chemical operations." He relied heavily on the established repertoire of chemical operations in the French didactic tradition, especially Nicolas Lemery s. On the other hand, he had to appeal to the Enlightenment public s taste for universal knowledge. To this end, he introduced a simplified version of Stahl s and Boerhaave s... 

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