The Colour That Revolutionized Chemistry

The Colour That Revolutionized Chemistry

This article was first published in The Montreal Gazette. There were several events on my agenda as we planned a family trip to London in 1989. We were going to see Miss Saigon with Lea Salonga and Jonathan Pryce, we would visit 221B Baker St., a thrill for any Sherlockian, and we would explore the Chelsea Physic Garden where medicinal plants had been cultivated since 1673. I had been eager to see some of the plants I had so often discussed in lectures, such as mandrake, belladonna, Pacific yew and the white willow. I was especially keen to see a cinchona tree, which has played a major role in the history of chemistry, thanks to the quinine found in its bark. The fourth visit planned was to the National Portrait Gallery. Unfortunately, that proved to be disappointing. To be sure, the gallery is fantastic, and I was thrilled to stand next to the portraits of Isaac Newton, Robert Boyle, Charles Darwin, Humphry Davy and Michael Faraday that I had so often seen in books. But the portrait I