Friedrich Accum
German chemist
- Lived
- 1769–1838
Updated September 2026
Free to read
All free classicsA Treatise on Adulterations of Food, and Culinary Poisons
Culinary Chemistry
A Practical Treatise on Gas-light
A treatise on the art of making good wholesome bread of wheat, oats, rye, barley and other farinaceous grains
Description of the Process of Manufacturing Coal Gas, for the Lighting of Streets Houses, and Public Buildings
About Friedrich Accum
Friedrich Christian Accum or Frederick Accum was a German chemist, whose most important achievements included advances in the field of gas lighting, efforts to keep processed foods free from dangerous additives, and the promotion of interest in the science of chemistry to the general populace. From 1793 to 1821 Accum lived in London. Following an apprenticeship as an apothecary, he opened his own commercial laboratory enterprise. His business manufactured and sold a variety of chemicals and laboratory equipment. Accum, himself, gave fee-based public lectures in practical chemistry and collaborated with research efforts at numerous other institutes of science.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.