James Price (chemist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Price
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 1752 |
| Died | 3 August 1783 (aged 30–31) |
| Occupation | Chemist, alchemist |
James Price (1752–1783) was an English chemist and alchemist. He claimed he could change a liquid metal called mercury into silver or gold. When people asked him to show this trick again, he drank a liquid and sadly passed away.
Who Was James Price?
James Price was born in London, England, in 1752. His first name was James Higginbotham. He later changed it to Price because a relative who died wanted him to. This relative also left him some money.
James went to Oxford University. Even though we don't have many records from his time there, he was very smart. He became a Master of Arts when he was 25. In 1778, Oxford University made him a Doctor of Medicine. This was mainly because of his great work in chemistry. In 1781, when he was 29, he joined the Royal Society. This was a very important group of scientists.
Amazing Metal Experiments
In 1782, James Price started working on something amazing. He was trying to change common metals into valuable ones like gold and silver. This old practice is called alchemy or "transmutation."
On May 6, 1782, he showed his discoveries to some friends. Then, he started doing public experiments at his lab in Guildford. He showed everyone that he could make precious metals. He mixed borax, nitre, and a special red or white powder he made. He called this his "powder of production."
He mixed this powder with 50 times its weight in mercury. Then, he stirred it in a special pot called a crucible with an iron rod. If he used the red powder, it made gold. If he used the white powder, it made silver.
James Price did seven public demonstrations. The last one was on May 25, 1782. Many important people came to watch. These included noblemen, religious leaders, lawyers, and other chemists. Some of the gold he made was even given to King George III. People were very excited about his experiments, and his reports were published and became very popular.
Doubts and Challenges
However, the other scientists in the Royal Society were not so sure. They asked James Price to do his experiments again. This time, they wanted him to do it in front of some of their own members.
Price didn't seem happy about this. He said that he had used up all his special powders. He also claimed that making new powders would cost him a lot of time and money. He even said it would be bad for his health. He also argued that making gold or silver this way was too expensive. He said it cost £17 to make one ounce of gold, but that gold was only worth £4.
But the Royal Society insisted. They reminded Price that as a member, he was making the society look bad if his claims were not true. Price argued back. He said his good reputation should stop anyone from doubting him. But in the end, he had to agree to repeat the experiments.
The Final Experiment
In January 1783, James Price went back to his lab in Guildford. He was supposed to start making his special powders again. But instead, he began making a liquid called laurel water. This liquid contained a dangerous substance.
He also wrote his will around this time. Six months later, he went back to London. He invited members of the Royal Society to watch his experiment on August 3 at his lab in Guildford.
Even though his first shows were very popular, only three members came to Guildford that day. Price was clearly disappointed by the small number of people. But he still welcomed the three men. Then, he stepped aside and drank the flask of laurel water he had prepared. The three men immediately saw a change in his face. Before they could do anything, James Price died.
