Oersted

Oersted, HANS CHRISTIAN, physicist, was born 14th August 1777, at Rudkjøbing, on the Danish island of Langeland, and studied medicine at Copenhagen, where in 1806 he was appointed extra-ordinary professor of Physics. He held numerous scientific appointments and honorary offices and distinctions, and died 9th March 1851. He may be regarded as the father of the science of electro-magnetism (see ELECTRICITY, Vol. IV. p. 265), and made numerous chemical discoveries. Of his many works the best known are Naturlarens Mechaniske Deel (1845; 3d ed. 1859) and Aanden i Naturen (1850). His collected works were translated into German in 6 vols. (1850-53). There is a biography by Hauch and Forchhammer (1853).—His brother, ANDERS SANDØE (1778-1850), was a distinguished Danish statesman.