<P> Carl Wilhelm Scheele ( German : ( ˈʃeːlə ) , Swedish : ( 2ɧeːlɛ ) ; 9 December 1742 -- 21 May 1786 ) was a Swedish Pomeranian and German pharmaceutical chemist . Isaac Asimov called him `` hard - luck Scheele '' because he made a number of chemical discoveries before others who are generally given the credit . For example , Scheele discovered oxygen ( although Joseph Priestley published his findings first ) , and identified molybdenum , tungsten , barium , hydrogen , and chlorine before Humphry Davy , among others . Scheele discovered organic acids tartaric , oxalic , uric , lactic , and citric , as well as hydrofluoric , hydrocyanic , and arsenic acids . He preferred speaking German to Swedish his whole life , as German was commonly spoken among Swedish pharmacists . </P>
<P> Carl Wilhelm Scheele ( German : ( ˈʃeːlə ) , Swedish : ( 2ɧeːlɛ ) ; 9 December 1742 -- 21 May 1786 ) was a Swedish Pomeranian and German pharmaceutical chemist . Isaac Asimov called him `` hard - luck Scheele '' because he made a number of chemical discoveries before others who are generally given the credit . For example , Scheele discovered oxygen ( although Joseph Priestley published his findings first ) , and identified molybdenum , tungsten , barium , hydrogen , and chlorine before Humphry Davy , among others . Scheele discovered organic acids tartaric , oxalic , uric , lactic , and citric , as well as hydrofluoric , hydrocyanic , and arsenic acids . He preferred speaking German to Swedish his whole life , as German was commonly spoken among Swedish pharmacists . </P>
chemist who contributed towards the discovery of oxygen
chemist who contributed towards the discovery of oxygen
Carl Wilhelm Scheele
Carl Wilhelm Scheele