Burchard de Volder

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Burchard De Volder (1643 - 1709) was a Dutch natural philosopher.

Born in a Mennonite family in Amsterdam, he first studied in Utrecht (1660) and from 1670 he studied philosophy at the University of Leiden under Franz (Franciscus Sylvius) de le Boë (Dubois). Thanks to the efforts of the Volder, a physics laboratory at the University of Leiden was established in 1675. He collected measuring instruments of all kinds and performed many physics demonstrations, particularly those illustrating the discoveries of Robert Boyle. This laboratory was unique for its time. De Volder's work drew many foreign students. One of De Volder's most famous students was Herman Boerhaave.