Accum, Friedrich Christian (1769–1838)

German chemist. He lived in England 1793–1820, where he introduced illumination by gas in his Practical Treatise of Gaslight 1815. His other works include ‘An Essay on Chemical Reagents’ 1816 and ‘A Treatise on the Adulteration of Food’ 1820.

He worked as an assistant to Humphry Davy before establishing his own laboratory 1800 and becoming professor of chemistry in London 1802. In 1820 he was arrested for mutilating books in the library of the Royal Institution, and he returned to Germany. He was appointed professor in Berlin 1822 and died in that city.