Hennig Brand

Hennig Brand

ca. 1630 - ca. 1710

	Very little is known about the alchemist, who attempted transmutations of elements into noble metals, and in one of his investigations with urine produced a glowing substance which was phosphorus. A native of Hamburg, Germany, he was a self-appointed physician and at one time had served in the army. Apparently he was of high social standing, and from dowries of his two wives was able to finance his laboratory investigations. Leibnitz has recorded a full recipe of the production of phosphorus from urine.
	Photographs of Hamburg, Germany Photograph in the Deutsches Museum in Munich (München), Germany