sodium sulphate history

Sodium sulfate hydrate is called Glauber's Salt after being discovered by a Dutch chemist / Germany and Johann Rudolf Glauber pharmacists (1604-1670), in 1625 Austria springs. It has medicinal properties: crystals are used as general purpose laxative, until more sophisticated alternatives that appeared in 1900s.
Glauber salt began to be used as a raw material for industrial production of soda ash (sodium carbonate), by reaction with potassium (potassium carbonate) in the 18th century. Demand for soda ash makes the supply of sodium sulfate should increase as well. Therefore, in the 19th century, the Leblanc process, as the main intermediary producing synthetic sodium sulfate into the main method of production of soda ash.