1 David Boswell Reid: chemistry, textbooks and ventilation Dr W. P. Palmer, Associate Curtin University ABSTRACT This is a study of the life and works of David Boswell Reid. Reid was born in Edinburgh in 1805. He was educated at Edinburgh University, obtaining his medical diploma on 12 July 1830. He used his medical qualification as an entry to his study of chemistry, which was the main route to a chemical career at the time. His main interest and source of income was practical chemistry, though he also wrote a number of textbooks. He moved to London where he held a number of administrative positions, fighting for the study of chemistry to become separate from the study of medicine. He wrote about the best way to ventilate buildings and these ideas were used in improving the ventilation of the House of Commons and a number of other public buildings. Late in his life he moved to the United States and had some success but he died suddenly in Washington, D. C. on 5 th April, 1863. History of chemistry: Bio-bibliography: chemistry textbooks: chemistry teaching: ventilation.