Sir Robert John Kane (24 September 1809 – 16 February 1890) was an Irish chemist and educator.

The young Kane studied chemistry at his father's factory, and attended lectures at the Royal Dublin Society as a teenager. The following year, his description of the natural arsenide of manganese resulted in the compound being named Kaneite in his honour. He studied medicine at Trinity College, Dublin, graduating in 1834 whilst working in the Meath Hospital. He was appointed Professor of Chemistry at the Apothecaries' Hall, Dublin in 1831, which earned him the moniker of the "boy professor".

He published a three-volume Elements of Chemistry in 1841–1844, and a detailed report on the Industrial Resources of Ireland.

Also in 1845 he became the first President of Queen's College, Cork (now University College Cork). Kane's eldest son Robert Romney Kane was known as a barrister. The second son, Henry Coey Kane, became an admiral in the Royal Navy.

Bibliography

  • Kane, R.J. (1831) Elements of Practical Pharmacy, Dublin : Hodges & Smith
  • Kane, R.J. (1849) Elements of chemistry, theoretical and practical : including the most recent discoveries and applications of the science to medicine and pharmacy, to agriculture, and to manufactures, 2nd ed., Dublin : Hodges and Smith, 1069 p.
  • Kane, R. [1844](1971) Industrial Resources of Ireland, The Development of industrial society series, Shannon, Ireland : Irish University Press,
  • Parkes, S. M. (ed) (2004) A Danger to the Men? A History of Women in Trinity College Dublin, 1904-2004. Lilliput Press, Dublin.

References

Further reading

  • Ó Raghallaigh, D. (1942) Sir Robert Kane: a pioneer in science, industry and commerce, first president of Queen's College, Cork (Cork University Press)
  • Kerr, J.J. (1942) "Sir Robert Kane: an apostle of Irish industries", Dublin Historical Record, 5, p. 137–146
  • Wheeler, T.S. (1944) "Sir Robert Kane: life and work", Studies: an Irish quarterly review, 33, p. 158–168,  316–330
  • Wheeler, T.S. (1945) "Sir Robert Kane: first president of Q.C.C.", Cork University Record, 3, p. 29–38
  • Wheeler, T.S. (1945) "Sir Robert John Kane", Endeavour, 4, p. 91–93
  • Reilly, D. (1955) "Irish chemist and educator", J. Chem. Educ., 32, p. 404–406
  • Clarke, D. (1968) "Sir Robert Kane", Administration, 16, p. 155–159
  • O'Donnell, S. (1976) "Sir Robert Kane – resources pioneer", Technology Ireland, (Sept.), p. 39–40
  • Leaney, E. (2005) "Missionaries of science: provincial lectures in nineteenth-century Ireland", Irish Historical Studies, 34 (135), p. 266–288