First International Chemical Congress meets in Karlsruhe, Germany

The first modern international meeting of scientists in chemistry took place with the three-day conference in Karlsruhe, Germany dubbed the First International Chemical Congress.  Organized by leading German organic chemist, August Kekulé, the conference attempted, with little initial success, to standardize terms in the chemical field.  It also heard several important papers, including Amedeo Avogrado's hypothesis on volume of gases.  (By John Osborne)