Wilhelm Heinrich Sebastian Bucholz


Wilhelm Heinrich Sebastian Bucholz was a German pharmacist and chemist.
Trained as a pharmacist in Magdeburg and Weimar, he later studied medicine at the University of Jena, where he obtained his doctorate in 1764. Several years later, he became head of the Hofapotheke in Weimar. Here, Johann Friedrich August Göttling worked as his assistant and Johann Trommsdorff served as an apprentice. As his career progressed, he received the posts of Hof-Medikus and Bergrat.
He was a friend and consultant to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe on the matter of scientific issues. Goethe observed Bucholz's attempt to build a Montgolfier balloon. Reportedly, the two men conducted water purification experiments through the use of powdered charcoal. Bucholz remained an honored member of Goethe's Freitagsgesellschaft up until his death in 1798.

Selected works