Santiago Bonilla Mirat: portrait of a forgotten chemist

Abstract

All the references indicate that the first mention in Spanish to the Mendeleiev’s Periodic Table was published in the textbook “Tratado Elemental de Química General y Descriptiva” (Basic Treatise on General and Descriptive Chemistry), by Santiago Bonilla Mirat (1844-1899), in its first edition of 1880. However, Bonilla is largely unknown by the public and by the Spanish speaking scientific community. This article includes his first portrait published since the xix century, as well as biographic data from the original sources. The aim of this work is to raise awareness of this fascinating person and his work.