Thomas Anderson | |
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| Born | 2 July 1819 |
| Died | 2 November 1874 (aged 55) Chiswick, England |
| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh |
| Awards | Royal Medal (1872) Keith Medal (1853-55) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | chemistry |
| Institutions | University of Glasgow |
Thomas Anderson (2 July 1819 – 2 November 1874) was a 19th-century Scottish chemist. In 1853 his work on alkaloids led him to discover the correct formula/composition for codeine.[1] In 1868 he discovered pyridine and related organic compounds such as picoline through studies on the distillation of bone oil and other animal matter.[2]
As well as his work on organic chemistry, Anderson made important contributions to agricultural chemistry, writing over 130 reports on soils, fertilisers and plant diseases. He kept abreast of all areas of science, and was able to advise his colleague Joseph Lister on Pasteur's germ theory and the use of carbolic acid as an antiseptic.
- ^ Anderson, Thomas (1853). "On the Constitution of Codeine and its Products of Decomposition". Trans. R. Soc. Edinb. 20: 57. doi:10.1017/S0080456800033032. S2CID 99185853.
- ^ Anderson, Thomas. "The products of the destructive distillation of animal substances". Trans. R. Soc. Edinb. 20: 205.