28 March 2011

Death of Lavoisier

In our school chemistry classes we all heard about Lavoisier, the father of modern chemistry. At the same time, we heard about French revolution in our history classes. But how many of us were told about the relation between Lavoisier and French revolution? Lavoisier was guillotined (a French method of capital punishment by cutting one's head) at the height of French revolution!
Despite being a scientist, Lavoisier was a member of many aristocratic councils and it was through these political activities he found funding for his research. He also had a Law degree although he never practiced as a lawyer. At the height of revolution, politically termed 'The Reign of Terror', Lavoisier was branded a traitor by the revolutionaries. He was accused of selling watered down tobacco. He had also pleaded for other foreign scientists like Joseph Lagrange when the foreign-born people were being stripped of their possessions and freedom. Jean-Paul Marat, a young man whom Lavoisier had dismissed and who became a leading revolutionary later also took a good part in accusing Lavoisier.
Lavoisier was tried, convicted and guillotined on May 8, 1794 in Paris. The speech given by Lagrange after his death had this famous statement, "It took them only an instant to cut off his head, but France may not produce another such head in a century."

1 comment:

  1. "It took them only an instant to cut off his head, but France may not produce another such head in a century."
    True... Einstein knew this. So he ran from Germany... ;-)

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