David Alter (December 3, 1807 – September 18, 1881) was a prominent American inventor and scientist of the 19th century. He was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania and graduated from the Reformed Medical School in New York City. He had German and Swiss ancestry.[1]
Dr.
David Alter
Portrait of Dr. David Alter, printed in the book History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania (1882)
1854 - spectrum analysis, the idea that every element has its own emission spectrum: a breakthrough development in spectroscopy. The published article was: On Certain Physical Properties of Light Produced by the Combustion of Different Metals in an Electric Spark Refracted by a Prism.[5] He included a chart of the colored lines or bands of twelve metals and paved the way by showing the spectral lines of brass corresponded to copper and zinc.
1858 - a patented method to extract oil from coal and shale, along with a partner Samuel Hill. Their invention sped manufacturing, but was replaced by technology in a few years.
A short range type of telephone - forerunner of the Graham Bell telephone.
Biographyedit
Dr. David Alter (1807–1881) was a doctor, scientist, and famous American inventor, son of John Alter and Eleanor Sheetz. "David began as a physician and scientist in Elderton, Pennsylvania in the 1830s. David Alter married (1st) Laura Rowley, and they settled in Elderton."[7]
In 1836 Elderton, David Alter invented the electric telegraph, one year before the popular Morse telegraph was invented. David rigged the telegraph between his house and his barn. He was interviewed about the discovery going unobserved by other inventors and said: "I may say that there is no connection at all between the telegraph of Morse and others and that of myself...Professor Morse most probably never heard of me or my Elderton telegraph."[3]
David Alter obtained medical schooling at the Reformed Medical College in New York City (debated on the dates), and at the Cincinnati Medical School (1841–1842).
David Alter settled in Freeport, Pennsylvania about 1837. David's first wife Laura died in 1842, and several years later he married her sister, Amanda Rowley. He had a total of eleven children. He manufactured bromine near his home, manned a weather station, worked as a physician, and was one of the first daguerreotype photographers of the town of Freeport.
Inventions while in Freeport: "In the great Pittsburgh Fire of 1845, he found a shard of melted glass that gave him the idea of the light spectrum. He went on to discover Spectral Analysis in 1853. He also invented and patented a method of manufacturing Bromine from salt wells in 1845, that was highly useful in the iron industry and was put on display in the World's fair."[7] Alter resided in Freeport until his death in 1881, aged 73.
Notesedit
^Kelly, Howard A.; Burrage, Walter L. (eds.). "Alter, David" . American Medical Biographies. Baltimore: The Norman, Remington Company.
Albert, George Dallas, editor. History of the County of Westmoreland. Philadelphia PA: L. H. Everts and Company, 1882, pages 357–361.
Wiley, Samuel T., editor. Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong Counties. Philadelphia PA: John M. Gresham and Co., 1891, pages 475–476.
Armstrong Pennsylvania, Her People Past and Present, Volume 1, pages 97–98.
Johnson, Allen, editor. Dictionary of American Biography, 1964, page 230.
Elliott, Clark E., editor. Biographical Dictionary of American Scientists. Westpoint CT: Greenwood Press, 1979, page 16.
Allen, G. Who's Who in Science. Chicago IL: 1968, p. 39.
Other References:
Alter, David (1854). "On certain physical properties of light, produced by the combustion of different metals, in the electric spark, refracted by a prism". The American Journal of Science and Arts. 2nd series. 18: 55–57.
Alter, D. (1855). "On certain physical properties of the light of the electric spark, within certain gases, as seen through a prism". The American Journal of Science and Arts. 2nd series. 19: 213–214.
david, alter, december, 1807, september, 1881, prominent, american, inventor, scientist, 19th, century, born, westmoreland, county, pennsylvania, graduated, from, reformed, medical, school, york, city, german, swiss, ancestry, portrait, printed, book, history,. David Alter December 3 1807 September 18 1881 was a prominent American inventor and scientist of the 19th century He was born in Westmoreland County Pennsylvania and graduated from the Reformed Medical School in New York City He had German and Swiss ancestry 1 Dr David AlterPortrait of Dr David Alter printed in the book History of the County of Westmoreland Pennsylvania 1882 Born 1807 12 03 December 3 1807Westmoreland County PennsylvaniaDiedSeptember 18 1881 1881 09 18 aged 73 Freeport PennsylvaniaCitizenshipAmericanKnown forInventions Contents 1 Inventions 2 Biography 3 Notes 4 References 5 External linksInventions editAlter is credited with having invented 1836 the electric telegraph predating the Morse telegraph in 1837 2 3 4 1840 his electric buggy the forerunner of the automobile 1845 a patented method to manufacture and purify bromine from salt wells highly useful in the iron industry and displayed in the World s Fair of 1853 see Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations in New York City 1854 spectrum analysis the idea that every element has its own emission spectrum a breakthrough development in spectroscopy The published article was On Certain Physical Properties of Light Produced by the Combustion of Different Metals in an Electric Spark Refracted by a Prism 5 He included a chart of the colored lines or bands of twelve metals and paved the way by showing the spectral lines of brass corresponded to copper and zinc 1855 an expansion of spectrum analysis to include the optical properties of gas 6 These discoveries were later implemented and included by Gustav Kirchhoff and Robert Bunsen in the Three Laws of Spectroscopy 1858 a patented method to extract oil from coal and shale along with a partner Samuel Hill Their invention sped manufacturing but was replaced by technology in a few years An electric clock A short range type of telephone forerunner of the Graham Bell telephone Biography editDr David Alter 1807 1881 was a doctor scientist and famous American inventor son of John Alter and Eleanor Sheetz David began as a physician and scientist in Elderton Pennsylvania in the 1830s David Alter married 1st Laura Rowley and they settled in Elderton 7 In 1836 Elderton David Alter invented the electric telegraph one year before the popular Morse telegraph was invented David rigged the telegraph between his house and his barn He was interviewed about the discovery going unobserved by other inventors and said I may say that there is no connection at all between the telegraph of Morse and others and that of myself Professor Morse most probably never heard of me or my Elderton telegraph 3 David Alter obtained medical schooling at the Reformed Medical College in New York City debated on the dates and at the Cincinnati Medical School 1841 1842 David Alter settled in Freeport Pennsylvania about 1837 David s first wife Laura died in 1842 and several years later he married her sister Amanda Rowley He had a total of eleven children He manufactured bromine near his home manned a weather station worked as a physician and was one of the first daguerreotype photographers of the town of Freeport Inventions while in Freeport In the great Pittsburgh Fire of 1845 he found a shard of melted glass that gave him the idea of the light spectrum He went on to discover Spectral Analysis in 1853 He also invented and patented a method of manufacturing Bromine from salt wells in 1845 that was highly useful in the iron industry and was put on display in the World s fair 7 Alter resided in Freeport until his death in 1881 aged 73 Notes edit Kelly Howard A Burrage Walter L eds Alter David American Medical Biographies Baltimore The Norman Remington Company Albert 1882 a b Wiley 1891 Scott Alter 1854 Alter 1855 a b Rowley 2002 References editPublished Biographies Albert George Dallas editor History of the County of Westmoreland Philadelphia PA L H Everts and Company 1882 pages 357 361 Wiley Samuel T editor Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong Counties Philadelphia PA John M Gresham and Co 1891 pages 475 476 Armstrong Pennsylvania Her People Past and Present Volume 1 pages 97 98 Johnson Allen editor Dictionary of American Biography 1964 page 230 Elliott Clark E editor Biographical Dictionary of American Scientists Westpoint CT Greenwood Press 1979 page 16 Allen G Who s Who in Science Chicago IL 1968 p 39 Other References Alter David 1854 On certain physical properties of light produced by the combustion of different metals in the electric spark refracted by a prism The American Journal of Science and Arts 2nd series 18 55 57 Alter D 1855 On certain physical properties of the light of the electric spark within certain gases as seen through a prism The American Journal of Science and Arts 2nd series 19 213 214 External links editAKVHS org Archived 2014 08 26 at the Wayback Machine pdf Cornell University JCE Archived 2007 03 27 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title David Alter amp oldid 1216013893, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
