1819 in science

The year1819 inscienceandtechnologyinvolved some significant events, listed below.

List of years in science (table)
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Astronomy and space science

• Johann Franz Enckecomputes the orbit ofComet Encke,identifying it asperiodic.
• July 1 –Johann Georg Trallesdiscovers theGreat Comet of 1819,(C/1819 N1). It is the first comet analyzed usingpolarimetry,byFrançois Arago.

Chemistry

• Joseph Bienaimé CaventouandPierre Joseph Pelletierisolate thealkaloidbrucinefromStrychnos nux-vomica.

Exploration

• February 19 – CaptainWilliam Smithin British merchant brigWilliamssightsWilliams Point,the northeast extremity ofLivingston Islandin theSouth Shetlands,the first land discovered south oflatitude60° S.
• October 15 –Desolation Islandin theSouth Shetland Islandsof theAntarcticis discovered by CaptainWilliam Smithin theWilliams.
• A BritishArcticexpedition underWilliam Edward ParrycomprisingHMSHeclaandHMSGriperreacheslongitude112°51' W in theNorthwest Passage,the furthest west which will be attained by any single-season voyage for 150 years.

Geology

• G. B. Greenoughpublishes his bookA critical examination of the first principles of geology in a series of essaysin London.

Medicine

• August –René LaennecpublishesDe l’Auscultation Médiate ou Traité du Diagnostic des Maladies des Poumons et du CoeurinParis,describing his invention of thestethoscope.
• English physicianJohn Bostockpublishes the first account ofallergic rhinitis(in himself).
• French physicianPierre Amable Jean-Baptiste Trannoypublishes one of the first epidemiology treatises in France:Traité élémentaire des maladies épidémiques ou populaires à l'usage des officiers de santé(Elementary Treatise on Epidemic or Popular Diseases for the use of health officers).

Technology

• May 22 –SSSavannahleaves port atSavannah, Georgiaon a voyage to become the firststeamshipto cross theAtlantic Ocean,although only a fraction of the trip is made under steam. The ship arrives atLiverpool, England,on June 20.
• Invention of theM1819breech-loadingflintlockusinginterchangeable partsby CaptainJohn H. HallofHarpers Ferry Armoryin theUnited States.

Institutions

• Cambridge Philosophical Societyfounded as a scientific society at theUniversity of Cambridgein England.

Awards

• Copley Medal:Not awarded

Births

• March 24 –Friedrich Theodor von Frerichs(died1885), German medicalpathologist.
• May 3 (O.S. April 21) – Nikolai Annenkov (died1889), Russianbotanist.
• June 5 –John Couch Adams(died1892), Cornish-bornmathematicianandastronomer.
• July 17 –Eunice Newton Foote(died1888), American physicist and women's rights campaigner.
• July 28 –Thomas Evans Blackwell(died1863), English civil and hydraulic engineer.
• August 9 –William T. G. Morton(died1868), American dentist.
• August 13 –George Gabriel Stokes(died1903), Irish-born mathematician andphysicist.
• September 18 –Léon Foucault(died1868), French physicist.
• September 23 –Hippolyte Fizeau(died1896), French physicist.

Deaths

• January –Elsa Beata Bunge(born1734), Swedishbotanist
• August 19 –James Watt(born1736), Scottishinventor,mechanical engineerandmathematician
• November 22 –John Stackhouse(born1742), English botanist