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Lavoisier Chemist, Biologist, Economist Jean-Pierre Poirier.
Translated by Rebecca Balinski On the day following the
guillotining of Antoine Laurent Lavoisier, mathematician Joseph
Louis Lagrange lamented the loss of the man commonly considered the
father of modern chemistry. "It took them only an instant to cut
off that head," he said, "but it is unlikely that a hundred years
will suffice to reproduce a similar one." Although he lived only to
the age of 51, Lavoisier revolutionized the field of chemistry. He
created the first modern table of chemical elements, recognized the
role oxygen plays in the rusting of metals, demonstrated that
water--previously considered one of the four fundamental
elements--is a compound of hydrogen and oxygen, and asserted that
the total weights of the products of a chemical reaction must equal
the total weights of the reactants. Yet despite his remarkable
importance to modern chemistry, Lavoisier's scientific work was
more a hobby than a profession. In fact, because he made his living
as a tax collector, his scientific work was relegated to early
morning and after-dinner hours. Appropriately, the picture Poirier
paints of Lavoisier is that of the whole man--not only a scientist
but a successful financier, respected economist, and influential
administrator as well. Jean-Pierre Poirier has both a medical
degree and a doctorate in economics. Formerly a practicing
gastroenterologist and Director of Research at a French
pharmaceutical company, he is a member of the Comite Lavoisier at
the Paris Academy of Sciences. Chemical Sciences in Society 1996
544 pages 6 1/8 x 9 1/4 12 illus. ISBN 978-0-8122-1649-3 Paper
$29.95s 19.50 World Rights Science, General, Biography, History
Short copy: Translated from the French and revised and expanded by
the author, the book provides a rich and detailed account of all
facets of Lavoisier's extraordinary career.
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