Hermann von Fehling
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Hermann von Fehling (9 June 1812 - 1 July 1885) was a German chemist, famous as the developer of Fehling's solution used for estimation of sugar.
He was born at Lübeck; with the intention of taking up pharmacy he entered Heidelberg University about 1835, and after graduating went to Gießen as preparateur to Liebig, with whom he elucidated the composition of paraldehyde and metaldehyde. In 1839, on Liebig's recommendation he was appointed to the chair of chemistry in the polytechnic at Stuttgart, and held it till within three years of his death, which happened at Stuttgart in 1885.
His earlier work included an investigation of succinic acid, and the preparation of phenyl cyanide (better known as benzonitrile), the simplest nitrile of the aromatic series; but later his time was mainly occupied with questions of technology and public health rather than with pure chemistry.
Among the analytical methods worked up by him the best known is that for the estimation of sugars by Fehling's solution, which consists of a solution of cupric sulphate mixed with alkali and potassium sodium tartrate (Rochelle salt). He was a contributor to the Handworterbuch of Liebig, Wöhler and Poggendorif, and to the Graham-Otto Textbook of Chemistry, and for many years was a member of the committee of revision of the Pharmacopoeia Germanica.
This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
