Karl Ludwig Freiherr von Reichenbach (; February 12, 1788January 19, 1869), known as Carl Reichenbach, was a German chemist, geologist, metallurgist, naturalist, industrialist and philosopher, and a member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences. He is best known for his discoveries of several chemical products of economic importance, extracted from tar, such as eupione, waxy paraffin, pittacal (the first synthetic dye) and phenol (an antiseptic). He also dedicated his last years to researching an unproved field of energy combining electricity, magnetism and heat, emanating from all living things, which he called the Odic force.

Life

Reichenbach was educated at the University of Tübingen, where he obtained the degree of doctor of philosophy. At the age of 16 he conceived the idea of establishing a new German state in one of the South Sea Islands, and for five years he devoted himself to this project.

Afterwards, directing his attention to the application of science to the industrial arts, he visited manufacturing and metallurgical works in France and Germany, and established the first modern metallurgical company, with forges of his own in Villingen and Hausach in the Black Forest region of Southern Germany and later in Baden.

Scientific contributions

Reichenbach conducted original scientific investigations in many areas. The first geological monograph which appeared in Austria was his Geologische Mitteilungen aus Mähren (Vienna, 1834).

The Odic force

In 1839 Von Reichenbach retired from industry and entered upon an investigation of the pathology of the human nervous system. He studied neurasthenia, somnambulism, hysteria and phobia, crediting reports that these conditions were affected by the moon. After interviewing many patients he ruled out many causes and cures, but concluded that such maladies tended to affect people whose sensory faculties were unusually vivid. These he termed "sensitives".

Influenced by the works of Franz Anton Mesmer he hypothesised that the condition could be affected by environmental electromagnetism, but finally his investigations led him to propose a new imponderable force allied to magnetism, which he thought was an emanation from most substances, a kind of "life principle" which permeates and connects all living things. To this vitalist manifestation he gave the name Odic force.

Works

  • Das Kreosot: ein neuentdeckter Bestandtheil des gemeinen Rauches, des Holzessigs und aller Arten von Theer 1833
  • Geologische Mitteilungen aus Mähren (Geological news from Moravia) Wien, 1834
  • Physikalisch-physiologische Untersuchungen über die Dynamide des Magnetismus, der Elektrizität, der Wärme, des Lichtes, der Krystallisation, des Chemismus in ihren Beziehungen zur Lebenskraft (Band 1 + Band 2) Braunschweig, 1850
  • Odisch-magnetische Briefe Stuttgart 1852, 1856; Ulm 1955
  • Der sensitive Mensch und sein Verhalten zum Ode (The sensitive human and his behaviour towards Od) Stuttgart und Tübingen (Band 1 1854 + Band 2 1855)
  • Köhlerglaube und Afterweisheit: Dem Herrn C. Vogt in Genf zur Antwort Wien, 1855
  • Wer ist sensitiv, wer nicht (Who is sensitive, who is not?) Wien, 1856
  • Odische Erwiederungen an die Herren Professoren Fortlage, Schleiden, Fechner und Hofrath Carus Wien, 1856
  • Die Pflanzenwelt in ihren Beziehungen zur Sensitivität und zum Ode Wien, 1858
  • Odische Begebenheiten zu Berlin in den Jahren 1861 und 1862 Berlin, 1862
  • Aphorismen über Sensitivität und Od (Aphorisms on Sensitivity and Od) Wien, 1866
  • Die odische Lohe und einige Bewegungserscheinungen als neuentdeckte Formen des odischen Princips in der Natur Wien, 1867

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autotranslation by google of above:

The creosote: a newly discovered common constituent of smoke, the wood vinegar and all kinds of tar 1833

  1. Geological releases from Moravia (Geological news from Moravia) Vienna, 1834
  2. Physico-physiological studies on the Dynamide magnetism, electricity, heat, light, the crystallization, the chemistry in its relations with the vitality (band 1 + band 2) Braunschweig, 1850
  3. Anodically-magnetic letters Stuttgart 1852, 1856; Ulm 1955
  4. The sensitive person and his behavior to Ode (The sensitive human and his behavior towards Od) Stuttgart and Tübingen (band 1 + band 2 1854 1855)
  5. Blind faith, and after wisdom: The Honourable C. Vogt in Geneva answered Vienna 1855
  6. Who is sensitive, who is not (who's sensitive, who is not?) Vienna, 1856
  7. Odic Erwiederungen the professors Fort able Schleiden, Fechner and Councillor Carus Vienna, 1856
  8. The plant world in its relations with the sensitivity and the Ode Vienna, 1858
  9. Odic events to Berlin in 1861 and in 1862 Berlin, 1862
  10. Aphorisms about sensitivity and OD (Aphorisms on Sensitivity and Od) Vienna, 1866
  11. The odic blaze and some phenomena of motion as newly discovered forms of anodic principle in nature Wien 1867 -->

English translations:

  • Physico-physiological researches on the dynamics of magnetism, electricity, heat, light, crystallization, and chemism, in their relation to Vital Force New York, 1851
  • Somnambulism and cramp New York, 1860 (excerpt translated chapter out of Der sensitive Mensch und sein Verhalten zum Ode)
  • Letters on Od and Magnetism 1926

See also

  • Reichenbach's Otaheiti Society

Notes

References

  • Karl von Reichenbach und Od. Paranormal Site (In German)
  • Karl Ludwig von Reichenbach . Stadt Stuttgart (in German)
  • Researches on Magnetism, Electricity, Heat and Light in their relations to Vital Forces. Cornell University. or here
  • Luminous World . Article by Gerry Vassilatos