Richard Sears McCulloch

Richard Sears McCulloch (1818-1894) was an American civil engineer and professor of mechanics and thermodynamics at the Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia.
In 1876, a collection of his lecture notes were published in a book entitled Treatise on the Mechanical Theory of Heat and its Application to the Steam Engine, Etc. McCulloch stated in the textbook, "there are none that are established on a firmer basis than the two general propositions of Joule and Carnot; which constitute the fundamental laws of our subject."
In 1878, McCulloch received an honorary doctorate of law degree from Washington and Lee University.
McCulloch’s book was influential in the development of the science of thermodynamics. A reprint edition can be found in the Michigan Historical Reprint Series link; as well as at the [http://libserv.aip.org:81/ipac20/ipac.jsp?urifull3100001~!15731~!0&profile=newcustom-aipnbl Niels Bohr Library].
He is also known for having helped "the Confederacy in making a chemical weapon", leaving his chair at Columbia College in order to do so.

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