Carl Reichenbach

Baron Dr. Carl (Karl) Ludwig von Reichenbach

(full name: Karl Ludwig Freiherr von Reichenbach)
(February 12, 1788 January 1869) was a notable
chemist, geologist, metallurgist, naturalist, industrialist
and philosopher, and a member of the prestigious
Prussian Academy of Sciences. He is best known for
his discoveries of several chemical products of economic importance, extracted from tar, such as eupione,
waxy paran, pittacal (the rst synthetic dye) and phenol
(an antiseptic). He also dedicated himself in his last
years to research an unproved eld of energy combining
electricity, magnetism and heat, emanating from all living
things, which he called the Odic force.[1]

paran or coal oils. In his paper describing the substance, rst published in the Neues Jahrbuch der Chemie
und Physik, B, ii, he dwelt upon the economical importance of this and of its associate parans, whenever
the methods of separating them cheaply from natural
bituminous compounds would be established.[1]

Afterwards, directing his attention to the application of

science to the industrial arts, he visited manufacturing
and metallurgical works in France and Germany, and established the rst modern metallurgical company, with
forges of his own in Villingen and Hausach in the Black
Forest region of Southern Germany and later in Baden.

Main article: Odic force

2.1 Earths magnetism

Reichenbach expanded on the work of previous scientists, such as Galileo Galilei, who believed the Earths axis
was magnetically connected to a universal central force in
space, in concluding that Earths magnetism comes from
magnetic iron, which can be found in meteorites. His reasoning was that meteorites and planets are the same, and
1 Life
no matter the size of the meteorite, polar existence can
be found in the object. This was deemed conclusive by
Reichenbach was educated at the University of Tbingen, the scientic community in the 19th century.[2]
where he obtained the degree of doctor of philosophy. At
the age of 16 he conceived the idea of establishing a new
German state in one of the South Sea Islands, and for ve 3 The Odic force
years he devoted himself to this project.

In 1839 Von Reichenbach retired from industry and

entered upon an investigation of the pathology of
the human nervous system. He studied neurasthenia,
somnambulism, hysteria and phobia, crediting reports
that these conditions were aected by the moon. After interviewing many patients he ruled out many causes
and cures, but concluded that such maladies tended to affect people whose sensory faculties were unusually vivid.
These he termed sensitives.

Scientic contributions

Reichenbach conducted original scientic investigations

in many areas. The rst geological monograph which ap- Inuenced by the works of Franz Anton Mesmer he hypeared in Austria was his Geologische Mitteilungen aus pothesised that the condition could be aected by environmental electromagnetism, but nally his investigaMhren (Vienna, 1834).[1]
tions led him to propose a new imponderable force allied
His position as the head of the large chemical works,
to magnetism, which he thought was an emanation from
iron furnaces and machine shops upon the great estate
most substances, a kind of life principle which permeof Count Hugo secured to him excellent opportunities
ates and connects all living things. To this vitalist manifor conducting large-scale experimental research. From
festation he gave the name Odic force.[3]
1830 to 1834 he investigated complex products of the
distillation of organic substances such as coal and wood
tar, discovering a number of valuable hydrocarbon compounds including creosote, paran, eupione and phenol 4 Works
(antiseptics), pittacal and cidreret (synthetic dyestus),
picamar (a perfume base), assamar, capnomor, and oth Das Kreosot: ein neuentdeckter Bestandtheil des
ers. Under the name of eupione, Reichenbach included
gemeinen Rauches, des Holzessigs und aller Arten
the mixture of hydrocarbon oils now known as waxy
von Theer 1833
1

8
Geologische Mitteilungen aus Mhren (Geological
news from Moravia) Wien, 1834

EXTERNAL LINKS

6 References

Physikalisch-physiologische Untersuchungen ber

die Dynamide des Magnetismus, der Elektrizitt,
der Wrme, des Lichtes, der Krystallisation, des
Chemismus in ihren Beziehungen zur Lebenskraft
(Band 1 + Band 2) Braunschweig, 1850

[1] Reichenbach, Karl. The New American Cyclopedia, 1863

(in the public domain). Facsimile copy available on the
Internet at Google Books.

Odisch-magnetische Briefe Stuttgart 1852, 1856;

Ulm 1955

[3] Gerry Vassilatos, Lost Science, Adventures Unlimited

Press (2000)ISBN 0932813755 ISBN 978-0-932813-756

Der sensitive Mensch und sein Verhalten zum Ode

(The sensitive human and his behaviour towards Od)
Stuttgart und Tbingen (Band 1 1854 + Band 2
1855)
Khlerglaube und Afterweisheit: Dem Herrn C. Vogt
in Genf zur Antwort Wien, 1855

[2] Scientic materialism and ultimate conceptions, Sidney

Billing. Bickers and Son, 1879. p. 355.

[4] Author Query for 'C.Rchb.'". International Plant Names

Index.

7 Notes

Wer ist sensitiv, wer nicht (Who is sensitive, who is

not?) Wien, 1856

Regarding personal names: Freiherr is a former title

(translated as Baron), which is now legally a part of the
Odische Erwiederungen an die Herren Professoren last name. The feminine forms are Freifrau and Freiin.
Fortlage, Schleiden, Fechner und Hofrath Carus
Wien, 1856
Die Panzenwelt in ihren Beziehungen zur Sensitivitt
und zum Ode Wien, 1858
Odische Begebenheiten zu Berlin in den Jahren 1861
und 1862 Berlin, 1862
Aphorismen ber Sensitivitt und Od (Aphorisms on
Sensitivity and Od) Wien, 1866
Die odische Lohe und einige Bewegungserscheinungen als neuentdeckte Formen des odischen Princips in
der Natur Wien, 1867
English translations:
Physico-physiological researches on the dynamics of
magnetism, electricity, heat, light, crystallization, and
chemism, in their relation to Vital Force New York,
1851
Somnambulism and cramp New York, 1860 (excerpt
translated chapter out of Der sensitive Mensch und
sein Verhalten zum Ode)
Letters on Od and Magnetism 1926

Reichenbachs ideas in popular

culture

Characters in the fantasy novel, The Hollow People by

Brian Keaney (Orchard Books 2006) manipulate Odyllic force, an energy which is accessed through waking
dreams.
Reichenbach and his Odic force are referred to in the
game Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs.

8 External links

Karl von Reichenbach und Od. Paranormal Site (In

German)
Karl Ludwig von Reichenbach. Stadt Stuttgart (in
German)
Researches on Magnetism, Electricity, Heat and
Light in their relations to Vital Forces. Cornell University. or here
Luminous World. Article by Gerry Vassilatos

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