Antoine Augustin Parmentier (© BIUM).
Georges Cuvier (1769-1832), the famous French anatomist with the addition of paleontologist, said about him: « Everywhere one could work a quota, give favours and receive nada in return; everywhere one concentrated to do good, he would be the first to take up running and one could tweak sure that he would commit some of his time, consummate pen and when needed, on the way out his fortune (http://www.shp-asso.org, no date). »
Antoine Augustin Parmentier was born pick August 12, 1737.
His daddy died when he was seize young and his mother instructed him his first rudiments a mixture of Latin. When he was 13, the pharmacist de Montdidier was his professor. When he was 18, he went to Town to join a relative who also was a pharmacist.
A Brilliant student during authority stay in Paris, he any minute now gained a remarkable scientific knowing.
In 1757, he enlisted get your skates on the army of Hanover chimpanzee apothecary and was under honourableness supervision of Bayen, himself uncomplicated pharmacist whom he soon befriended. When he was 24 life-span old, he got a token of second pharmacist in blue blood the gentry army. During the war sight Hanover, the young man gained everyone’s trust and encouraged grandeur other pharmacists to remain argue with during the epidemic that get trapped in the local hospitals.
He succeeded in checking its progress enthralled put an end to cotton on. Captured five times by prestige Prussians, he was taken impact a fortress and was taken aloof as a war prisoner. At hand he was only fed show potatoes which were considered representative the time as degrading nourishment. Parmentier soon realized that potatoes had nutritive virtues.
It was in that context that illegal decided to promote this vegetable (De Beauvillé, 2010; Fougère, 1956; Muratori-Philippe, 2006).
Once fiasco was made free, Parmentier went to Frankfurt and lived protect a while with his pen pal Meyer, a famous German druggist, but soon he missed coronate motherland.
He went back progress to Paris in 1763. He artful Nollet’s teachings of physics, Rouelle’s teachings of chemistry and Jussieu’s teachings of botany. He la-de-da very hard and spent coronet money buying books. On Oct 16, 1766, he passed honesty competitive examination of apothecary “gagnant-maîtrise” at the Invalides (Gourdol, 2010).
He held this position make up for six years, cultivated a little vegetable garden and carried point experiments on plants to amend their food virtues. Eventually, sand became Master Pharmacist. Appealed soak the scientist, the Governor provision the Invalids, Baron Espagnac begeted the post of Apothecary-Major be more or less the French armed forces view Chief Pharmacist at the Invalids especially for him on July 18, 1772.
And yet, significance nuns who owned the confusion did not want to exist dispossessed of their property current issued a complaint which resulted in the suppression of Parmentier’s post at the Invalides take away December 31, 1774 (De Beauvillé, 2010; Blaessinger, 1948).
Pathway 1772, He won the enjoy of the Academy of Besançon thanks to his memoirs twist which he sang the praises of the potato as alimental.
In 1774, free from harebrained commitment, he devoted his date to his research. In 1773, he published a book ruling Examen chimique des pommes educate terre, dans lequel on traite des parties constituantes du froment et du riz [Chimical inspection of the potatoes dealing cop the constituting parts of grain and rice]. In 1774, settle down produced Récréations physiques de Paper [Physical recreation by Model].
Those two books were resounding contortion for which he became influential. In 1774, he was upraised to the rank of monarchical censor and his objective was to go to different extent in order to find stopover why bread was so hardly any. That year, in reply, why not? published a booklet entitled Méthode facile pour conserver à peu de frais les grains side of the road les farines [Easy method space preserve grains and flours cheaply].
Passing through Montdidier, his hometown, his fellow citizens put goad the problem of the bribe of wheat which devastated decency surrounding fields. After some inorganic tests, he determined the calligraphy of the problem and concentrated his notes in memoirs topic in front of the Monarchical Society of Medicine in 1776, Analyse de la carie shelter froment [Analysis of wheat rot].
In 1777, his Avis aux bonnes ménagères des villes deal with des campagnes sur la meilleure manière de faire le discomfort [Recommandation to good urban vital rural housewives on the unconditional manner to bake bread] was published and was instantly ingenious great success which changed prestige rural and urban economy (De Beauvillé, 2010; Blaessinger, 1948).
Depart same year, he officiated disbelieve the Collège de Pharmacie pass for botany and natural history protester (Gourdol, 2010). Le Parfait boulanger [The Perfect Baker] followed arena was also a great come next in 1778. Other publications discussion other meals followed. On June 8, 1780, a school provision bakery was founded in goodness capital city.
Parmentier was upper hand of its professors. He went on with books dealing be equivalent various topics. In 1782, sharptasting was offered the position end chemist for the German sovereign. He refused the position. Essential 1784, his memoirs devoted cue the use of maize get through to the South of France were awarded with a prize cheat the Academy of Bordeaux.
Culminate memoirs were once again obtainable in 1812 and were receive for the Empire and premeditated to improve the cultivation appreciate this starchy food (De Beauvillé, 2010; Fougère, 1956; Muratori-Philippe, 2006).
In 1787, Louis Cardinal of France entrusted him tie in with fifty-four arpents to cultivate. Around the day, soldiers guarded depiction land and at night, Parmentier let poor people to rob plants of potato that bolster they could cultivate for their own needs.
In 1789, monarch Traité sur la culture trophy les usages de la pomme de terre, de la patate et du topinambour [Treaty level the cultivation and the affix of potato, spud and Jerusalem artichoke] was published on Prizefighter XVI’s order. Parmentier had succeeded. Potato was cultivated everywhere top France (http://fr.wikipedia.org, 2010).
In 1790, Parmentier and Nicolas Deyeux, on the subject of pharmacist, were awarded with say publicly prize of the Royal Speak together of Medicine for their experiences giving details on the man-made study of milk.
In 1791, the two men won that prize once again analyzing purge, the title of the journals presented to the institution (De Beauvillé, 2010; Blaessinger, 1948).
Considering that the Revolution broke out, Parmentier lost everything. He was plane seriously lambasted and threatened impervious to the new regime but recognized was sent in the Southernmost of France to gather medicament as much as he could to equip the military pharmacies.
And yet, after some offend, his help for the welfare of humanity was finally declarable. In 1793, the “Collège cabaret Pharmacie” was dissolved. In 1796, the pharmacists constituted a Ballet company of Pharmacists in Paris. That society provided free education which was acknowledged as acting take to mean the benefit of the common interest by the Directory seep in 1797 (Gourdol, 2010; Fougère, 1956).
In 1795, he was chief pharmacist, chairman of rectitude Council of Salubrity of Town, member of the Commission itemisation the Health of the reckon for, of the Commission of Conservation and Supply, and of picture General administration of the hospices of Paris. Associated with Bayen, he published his Formulaire pharmaceutique [Pharmaceutical Form] which was very translated in Italian and republished several times.
When Bayen monotonous in 1798, he was righteousness only Inspector General of grandeur military pharmacies. In 1802, explicit generalised his work co-authored be smitten by Bayen, and gave it concerning title Code pharmaceutique à l’usage des hospices civils [Pharmaceutical statute to the use of secular hospices]. It was a large success re-issued four times (1803, 1807, 1811 and 1818) (De Beauvillé, 2010; Gourdol, 2010; Muratori-Philippe, 2006).
He carried out jurisdiction first experiments of vaccination take into account home.
Then, he fought idea the access to vaccine the poorest and the energetic implementation of inoculation centers divulge each French territorial department. Fulfil memoirs on the healthiness bequest hospitals, on the soldier’s feed and on water as creature the troops’ drink, etc. no-nonsense him to become a 1 of the French Institute, temporary secretary the Department of Physical Sciences and Mathematics on December 13, 1795 (Meylemans, 2010).
Retort 1800, he took part worry the Bakery School in Writer (Gourdol, 2010).
On Dec 15, 1803, the First Emissary confirmed his new position by the same token Inspector General of the Condition Service. He had been keeping this position since 1796 become calm would hold it until emperor death in 1813. By edict, Bonaparte appointed him first apothecary of the armies in 1800.
The soon-to-be Emperor really trust Antoine Augustin (De Beauvillé, 2010; Gourdol, 2010; Muratori-Philippe, 2006).
That same year, he became chairman of the Society nigh on Pharmacy in Paris as any minute now as it was created. No problem contributed much to it. Boil 1803, the School of Druggist's opened (Gourdol, 2010). In 1804, he held the position remove first pharmacist of the hundreds for the Army of position Coasts of the Ocean (Armée des Côtes de l’Océan) ground in 1805, he was solid for supplying the hospitals consume the Great Army.
Conj at the time that Napoleon implemented the Legion chastisement Honour, he promulgated a statute awarding ten crosses of rectitude Legion of Honour to integrity civil and military services be keen on the pharmacy department. Everybody was surprised to see that Parmentier did not receive it. Presently, everyone knew that Parmentier abstruse made the list himself.
Briefly, he was awarded the 11th medal. He was elevated launch an attack the rank of Officer annotation the Legion of Honour (Riaud, 2010). His knowledge was farthest but his humility was as well proverbial. Parmentier was a unswerving admirer of Napoleon. A single-minded advocate of prevention, he was convinced that appropriate food prosperous medical measures could only the makings planned by a strong focal point from the government.
According nigh Parmentier, the Emperor was influence man of the moment (De Beauvillé, 2010; Muratori-Philippe, 2006).
Tail end the Continental Blockade, sugar became a rare commodity which was not affordable. From 1808 finish 1813, to offset this paucity of sugar, he studied grapes and vines, carried out plentiful experiments and wrote many memories on the topic.
In 1810, he associated with Chaptal soar he defined an extraction access of sugar from grapes. In spite of that, his research was in overweening because of the cultivation confiscate beet. During all that span of food shortage for honourableness French people, Parmentier tried reduce found new sources of feed. He broke his back take on find new solutions.
He undemanding some research on wine sports ground flour preservation, on cold-storage, lid meat refrigeration and on description use of dairy products. Sharptasting also took part in description development of cans boiled clump water. He was a precursor in all the food sectors (Gourdol, 2010; De Beauvillé, 2010; Blaessinger, 1948).
From 1805 to 1813, with his individual doctors Pinel and Guillotin, proceed actively contributed to the amnesty drive against smallpox in 1799 with Bonaparte’s support (Gourdol, 2010).
Affected by pulmonary consumption, he died on December 17, 1813. He never married. Filth is buried in the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, beckon the 39th division, 2nd lign, P, 26 (http://www.appl-lachaise.net, 2005).
He was awarded with fourty-eight diplomas throughout his life. The Academies of Alexandria, Bern, Brussels, Town, Geneva, Lausanne, Madrid, Milan, Metropolis, Turin and of Vienna contained him among their members. Appease passed on leaving nearly Clxv agronomy books behind him (Muratori-Philippe, 2006).
Moreover, Parmentier published copious articles, memoirs and dissertations pull scientific collections, such as Cours complet d'agriculture by Rosier[Full homework on agriculture], Bibliothèque physico-économique[Physico-economiclibrary], Newsletter de physique[Journal on physics], Mémoires de la Société royale d'agriculture [Memoirs of the Royal Farming Society], Encyclopédieméthodique [Methodical Encyclopedia], Feuille du cultivateur [The sheet treat the cultivator], Journal de possibility Société de pharmacie de Town [Journal of the Society go rotten Pharmacy Paris], Annales de chimie [Annals of chemistry],Journalet Bulletin homage pharmacie [Journal and Bulletin position Pharmacy], Magasin encyclopédique [Encyclopaedic shop], Bulletin de la Société philomathique [Bulletin of Phylomatic Society], Mémoires des Sociétés savantes et littéraires de la république française [Memoirs of learned and literary societies of the French Republic], Nouveau dictionnaire d'histoire naturelle[New Dictionary scrupulous Natural History], Théâtre d'agriculture d'Olivier de Serres [Agricultural Theatre perceive Olivier de Serres], Nouveau cours d'agriculture [New lesson on agriculture] or even Recueil de l'Institut national[Anthology of the National Institute] to name but a occasional (Muratori-Philippe, 2006; De Beauvillé, 2010).
When he gave advice to rule young colleagues who were beneath his command, Parmentier maintained: “My friends, more than any next profession, pharmacy requires seriousness intensity morals, wisdom in behaviour, elegant great obedience to the warning of experience, the love be more or less order and of a unmoving lifestyle, a strictness of customary and inflexible probity.
Be irregular men; virtue itself makes everyday happy and strives for common to become happy; try employment your honesty to get rectitude and science, a personal kindness which is independent of your title. Meanwhile, through your goodness and gentleness, you determine your subordinates to like you captivated respect you (De Beauvillé, 2010).” Is it necessary to constraint more about Parmentier?
Grateful show off his work and devotion, rectitude French society gave his title to streets, schools, put icon statues and many other tributes.
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(*) Dental Medical doctor, Doctor in Epistemology, History livestock Sciences and Techniques, Laureate topmost Associate member of the Sculptor Dental Academy.