Antoine Béchamp
Encyclopedia
Pierre Jacques Antoine Béchamp (October 16, 1816 – April 15, 1908) was a French biologist
. He studied silkworm parasites, and was the first to synthesise Atoxyl
.
, a small village in the Moselle
region of France. He died on April 15, 1908 in Paris
.
.
He was a contemporary of Louis Pasteur
, who developed the currently accepted germ theory
, and of Robert Koch
whose postulates are the basis of deciding whether a microbe is the cause of a disease. Bechamp however maintained the abandoned pleomorphic theory — essentially that bacteria change form and are not the cause of, but the result of, disease, arising from tissues rather than from a germ of constant form. This has also been called the cellular disease theory, in that scavenging bacteria are supposed to arise from what he called microzymas. "Micro" meaning small and "zymas" referring to a special class of immortal enzymes. He postulated these microzymas to be normally present in matter (including tissues)and that they had either a life or death giving quality depending on the cellular terrain.
His theory was discarded by science in favor of Pasteur's. Other pleomorphists since then have been Wilhelm Reich
, Gaston Naessens, Alan Cantwell
, Günther Enderlein
(1872–1968) and Robert Young (author).
Atoxyl
was first synthesized in 1859 by Antoine Béchamp by chemically reacting aniline
and arsenic acid
. Béchamp chose the name Atoxyl referring to the reduced toxicity of the resulting compound, compared to arsenic. In 1908, Paul Ehrlich
and Sahachiro Hata
used Atoxyl as the basis for their discovery of Salvarsan.
Some science historians suggest that Eduard Buchner
, in his 1897 work, merely repeated experiments already made by Béchamp in 1857. This is not the case : what Buchner obtained with yeast "zymase
", and without yeast cells, was alcoholic fermentation, while Béchamp had explicitly stated that, in absence of yeast cells and by use of what he, also, called "zymase", he only obtained sugar inversion, and no alcoholic fermentation. According to K.L. Manchester, what Béchamp called "zymase" was invertase
.
's discovery, aniline
was an expensive laboratory compound, but it was soon prepared "by the ton" using a process previously discovered by Antoine Béchamp. Although the Bechamp reduction
is now mostly replaced by direct reduction with hydrogen it was for a long time the dominant method to produce aniline.
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
. He studied silkworm parasites, and was the first to synthesise Atoxyl
Atoxyl
Arsanilic acid is the organoarsenic compound also called p-aminophenylarsonic acid. This colourless solid was used as a drug in the late 19th and early 20th centuries but is now considered prohibitively toxic. Arsanilic acid is a derivative of phenylarsonic acid with an amine in the 4-position...
.
Biography
Béchamp was born on October 16, 1816 in BassingBassing
Bassing is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France....
, a small village in the Moselle
Moselle
Moselle is a department in the east of France named after the river Moselle.- History :Moselle is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
region of France. He died on April 15, 1908 in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
Contribution to science
Béchamp worked on silkworm diseases, identifying one as due to a parasite — a separate, smaller organism which entered the body from outside, in this case causing disease. However in a period when considerable scientific interest and effort was applied to this problem, his more complex and thorough understanding of the interaction between colloidal lifeforms and their role in disease as is generally accepted today did not have mass audience appeal like that of PasteurLouis Pasteur
Louis Pasteur was a French chemist and microbiologist born in Dole. He is remembered for his remarkable breakthroughs in the causes and preventions of diseases. His discoveries reduced mortality from puerperal fever, and he created the first vaccine for rabies and anthrax. His experiments...
.
He was a contemporary of Louis Pasteur
Louis Pasteur
Louis Pasteur was a French chemist and microbiologist born in Dole. He is remembered for his remarkable breakthroughs in the causes and preventions of diseases. His discoveries reduced mortality from puerperal fever, and he created the first vaccine for rabies and anthrax. His experiments...
, who developed the currently accepted germ theory
Germ theory of disease
The germ theory of disease, also called the pathogenic theory of medicine, is a theory that proposes that microorganisms are the cause of many diseases...
, and of Robert Koch
Robert Koch
Heinrich Hermann Robert Koch was a German physician. He became famous for isolating Bacillus anthracis , the Tuberculosis bacillus and the Vibrio cholerae and for his development of Koch's postulates....
whose postulates are the basis of deciding whether a microbe is the cause of a disease. Bechamp however maintained the abandoned pleomorphic theory — essentially that bacteria change form and are not the cause of, but the result of, disease, arising from tissues rather than from a germ of constant form. This has also been called the cellular disease theory, in that scavenging bacteria are supposed to arise from what he called microzymas. "Micro" meaning small and "zymas" referring to a special class of immortal enzymes. He postulated these microzymas to be normally present in matter (including tissues)and that they had either a life or death giving quality depending on the cellular terrain.
His theory was discarded by science in favor of Pasteur's. Other pleomorphists since then have been Wilhelm Reich
Wilhelm Reich
Wilhelm Reich was an Austrian-American psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, known as one of the most radical figures in the history of psychiatry...
, Gaston Naessens, Alan Cantwell
Alan Cantwell
Alan Cantwell Jr., M.D., , is a retired dermatologist. Between the late 1960s and mid-1980s, Cantwell was author or co-author of around 30 case reports describing bacteria found in cases of scleroderma, panniculitis, and dermatological malignancies.More recently, he has written conspiracy theory...
, Günther Enderlein
Günther Enderlein
Günther Enderlein was a German zoologist, entomologist and later a manufacturer of pharmaceutical products. Enderlein got some international renown because of his insect research but in Germany he became famous because of his concept of the pleomorphism of microorganisms and his hypotheses about...
(1872–1968) and Robert Young (author).
Atoxyl
Atoxyl
Arsanilic acid is the organoarsenic compound also called p-aminophenylarsonic acid. This colourless solid was used as a drug in the late 19th and early 20th centuries but is now considered prohibitively toxic. Arsanilic acid is a derivative of phenylarsonic acid with an amine in the 4-position...
was first synthesized in 1859 by Antoine Béchamp by chemically reacting aniline
Aniline
Aniline, phenylamine or aminobenzene is an organic compound with the formula C6H5NH2. Consisting of a phenyl group attached to an amino group, aniline is the prototypical aromatic amine. Being a precursor to many industrial chemicals, its main use is in the manufacture of precursors to polyurethane...
and arsenic acid
Arsenic acid
Arsenic acid is the chemical compound with the formula H3AsO4. More descriptively written as AsO3, this colorless acid is the arsenic analogue of phosphoric acid. Arsenate and phosphate salts behave very similarly. Arsenic acid as such has not been isolated, but only found in solution where it...
. Béchamp chose the name Atoxyl referring to the reduced toxicity of the resulting compound, compared to arsenic. In 1908, Paul Ehrlich
Paul Ehrlich
Paul Ehrlich was a German scientist in the fields of hematology, immunology, and chemotherapy, and Nobel laureate. He is noted for curing syphilis and for his research in autoimmunity, calling it "horror autotoxicus"...
and Sahachiro Hata
Sahachiro Hata
was a Japanese bacteriologist who developed the Arsphenamine drug in 1909 in the laboratory of Paul Ehrlich.Hata was born in Tsumo Village, Mino District, Shimane , and completed his medical education in Kyoto...
used Atoxyl as the basis for their discovery of Salvarsan.
Some science historians suggest that Eduard Buchner
Eduard Buchner
Eduard Buchner was a German chemist and zymologist, awarded with the 1907 Nobel Prize in Chemistry thanks to his work on fermentation.-Early years:...
, in his 1897 work, merely repeated experiments already made by Béchamp in 1857. This is not the case : what Buchner obtained with yeast "zymase
Zymase
Zymase is an enzyme complex that catalyzes the fermentation of sugar into ethanol and carbon dioxide. They occur naturally in yeasts...
", and without yeast cells, was alcoholic fermentation, while Béchamp had explicitly stated that, in absence of yeast cells and by use of what he, also, called "zymase", he only obtained sugar inversion, and no alcoholic fermentation. According to K.L. Manchester, what Béchamp called "zymase" was invertase
Invertase
Invertase is an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of sucrose . The resulting mixture of fructose and glucose is called inverted sugar syrup. Related to invertases are sucrases. Invertases and sucrases hydrolyze sucrose to give the same mixture of glucose and fructose...
.
Contribution to industry
At the time of mauveineMauveine
Mauveine, also known as aniline purple and Perkin's mauve, was the first synthetic organic chemical dye.Its chemical name is3-amino-2,±9-dimethyl-5-phenyl-7-phenazinium acetate...
's discovery, aniline
Aniline
Aniline, phenylamine or aminobenzene is an organic compound with the formula C6H5NH2. Consisting of a phenyl group attached to an amino group, aniline is the prototypical aromatic amine. Being a precursor to many industrial chemicals, its main use is in the manufacture of precursors to polyurethane...
was an expensive laboratory compound, but it was soon prepared "by the ton" using a process previously discovered by Antoine Béchamp. Although the Bechamp reduction
Bechamp Reduction
The Bechamp reduction is used to reduce aromatic nitro compounds to their corresponding anilines, using iron and hydrochloric acid.This reaction was originally used to produce large amounts of aniline for industry, but catalytic hydrogenation is the preferred method...
is now mostly replaced by direct reduction with hydrogen it was for a long time the dominant method to produce aniline.
Academic Record
- Master of Pharmacy;
- Doctor of Science;
- Doctor of Medicine;
- Professor of Medical Chemistry and Pharmacy at Montpellier;
- Fellow and Professor of Physics and Toxicology — Strasbourg Higher School of Pharmacy;
- Professor of Chemistry at Strasbourg;
- Professor of Biological Chemistry and Dean of Faculty of Medicine of Lille;
- Chevalier of the Legion of Honour;
- Commander of the Rose of Brazil
Publications of Bechamp and Pasteur published on "Comptes rendus de l'académie des sciences"
Publications of papers on silkworm diseases can be downloaded free on the French site of The "Comptes rendus de l'Académie des sciences"- Béchamp, Sur l’innocuité des vapeurs de créosote dans les éducations de vers à soie, Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences, 1866, tome 62, p. 1341-1341.
- Pasteur, observations de Pasteur sur la communication de Béchamp du 3 septembre 1866, Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences, 1866, tome 63, p. 428.
- Pasteur, Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences, 1866, tome 63, p. 126-142.
- Béchamp, Réponse aux observations faites par M. Pasteur au sujet d’une Note relative à la nature de la maladie actuelle des vers à soie, Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences, 1866, tome 63, p. 425.
- Pasteur, Nouvelles études sur la maladie des vers à soie, Comptes rendus de l’Académie, 1866, tome 63, p. 126-142.
- Béchamp, Recherches sur la nature de la maladie actuelle des vers à soie, Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences, 1866, tome 63, p. 311-313.
- Pasteur, Observations au sujet d’une Note de M. Béchamp relative à la nature de la maladie actuelle des vers à soie, Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences, 1866, tome 63, p. 317-319.
- Béchamp, Recherches sur la nature de la maladie actuelle des vers à soie, et plus spécialement sur celle du corpuscule vibrant, Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences, 1866, tome 63, p. 391-393.
- Béchamp, voir l’article Réponse aux observations faites par M. Pasteur au sujet d’une Note relative à la nature de la maladie actuelle des vers à soie, Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences, 1886, tome 63, p. 427.
- Béchamp, Réponse aux observations faites par M. Pasteur au sujet d’une Note relative à la nature de la maladie actuelle des vers à soie, Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences, 1866, tome 63, p. 425-428.
- Pasteur, Observations au sujet d’une Note de Balbiani relative à la maladie des vers à soie, Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences, 1866, tome 63, p. 441-443.
- Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences, 1866, tome 63, p. 552.
- Béchamp, Note sur le siège du parasite dans la maladie du ver à soie appelée pébrine, et sur la théorie du traitement de cette maladie, en réponse à une Note de M. Joly, du 24 septembre, Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences, 1866, tome 63, p. 693-697.
- Béchamp, Note sur le siège du parasite dans la maladie du ver à soie appelée pébrine, et sur la théorie du traitement de cette maladie, en réponse à une Note de M. Joly, du 24 septembre, Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences, 1866, tome 63, p. 696.
- Béchamp, Extrait d’une Lettre accompagnant l’envoi d’un opuscule sur la maladie des vers à soie, Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences, 1866, tome 63, p. 1147-1148.
- Béchamp, Physiologie – sur le corpuscule vibrant de la pébrine, considéré comme organisme producteur d’alcool, Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences 1867, tome 64, p. 231-232.
- Pasteur, Sur la nature des corpuscules des vers à soie, Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences, 1867, tome 64, p. 835-836.
- Béchamp, Physiologie – Faits pour servir à l’histoire de la maladie parasitaire des vers à soie appelée pébrine, et spécialement du développement du corpuscule vibrant, Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences, 1867, tome 64, p. 873-875.
- Béchamp, Physiologie – Faits pour servir à l’histoire de la maladie parasitaire des vers à soie appelée pébrine, et spécialement du développement du corpuscule vibrant » Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences, 1867, tome 64, p. 875.
- Béchamp, Lettre adressée au président au sujet de la communication faite par M. Pasteur le 29 avril dernier, Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences, 1867, tome 64, p. 1042-1043 et 1043-1045.
- Béchamp, Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences, 1867, tome 64, p. 1045 et voir aussi p. 1185-1186).
- Béchamp, Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences, 1867, tome 64, p. 1045.
- Béchamp, Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences, 1867, tome 64, p. 1043 et 1185.
- Pasteur, Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences, 1867, …
- Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences, 1859, tome 48, p. 552-573.
- Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences, 1859, tome 48, p. 616.
- Pasteur, Observations sur la maladie des vers à soie, Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences, 1865, tome 61, p. 507.
Books of Antoine Béchamp
Readers who to want read Béchamp's books should see the bibliography in the book of Marie Nonclercq, Antoine Béchamp, l'homme et le savant.- Antoine Béchamp, Recherches sur la pyroxyline, Thèse de chimie, éd. Imprim. G. Silberman (1853)
- Antoine Béchamp, Analyse qualitative et quantitative de l'eau minérale alcaline gazeuse de Soultzmatt, éd. Imprim. Huder, (1853)
- Antoine Béchamp, Essai sur les substances albuminoïdes et sur leur transformation en urée, éd. Imprim. Silberman (1856)
- Antoine Béchamp, Les microzymas, éd. J.B. Baillière et fils (Paris) (1883) (reprint by "Centre international d'études A. Béchamp" (1990))
- Antoine Béchamp, Recherches sur les modifications moléculaires ou états isallotropiques de la matière amylacée, éd. Imprimerie L. Daniel (Lille) (1884) Book free downloaded on site of « Bibliothèque nationale de France (BNF) » - Gallica
- Antoine Béchamp, Bechamp's last book: The Blood and Its Third Element, (re-edited, Kindle version).
- Antoine Béchamp, Bechamp's last book: The Blood and Its Third Element, (re-edited, paperback version)
Books in English mentioning Antoine Béchamp
- Ethel Hume, Bechamp or Pasteur? - A lost Chapter in the History of Biology
- Bechamp An Appreciation, CW Daniel Company, Saffron Walden, UK
- Gerald L. GeisonGerald L. Geison-Career:Gerald L. Geison went on to earn a doctorate in Yale University's Department of the History of Science and Medicine in 1970 and then joined the Princeton faculty, where he was a professor in the history department and the Program in History of Science."He wrote two books, The Private...
, The private science of Louis Pasteur, éd. Princeton University Press (1995) (ISBN 0-691-03442-7) - Hector Grasset, Bechamp - an appreciation : Being a translation of L'Oeuvre de Bechamp (Pierre-Jacques-Antoine)
- E.Douglas Hume, Béchamp or Pasteur, Essence of Health (1923), SA
- Julio Ximenes SeniorJulio Ximenes SeniorJúlio Ximenes Sênior was a Brazilian scientist and medical doctor, in the research field of biochemistry, microbiology, and was also a career Brazilian Army officer....
, Béchamp Against Pasteur (Their Ideas And Their Fights), Gráfica Comércio E Indústria Ltda (1963), Library of CongressLibrary of CongressThe Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
reference, Q143.B4X53 - Charles G. Walters, Fertility from the Ocean Deep (2005) (ISBN 0-911-31179-3)
Books in French mentioning Antoine Béchamp
- Dr Eric Anselet, Pour en finir avec Pasteur, éd Marco Pietteur (1999)
- Antoine Béchamp, Les microzymas, éd. ? (1883), (reprint by le Centre international d'études A. Béchamp, (1990))
- Philippe Decourt, Les vérités indésirables, éd. Les archives internationales Claude Bernard (1989)
- Douglas Hume, Béchamp ou Pasteur ? (1948), Aurore Valérie.
- Julio Ximenes SeniorJulio Ximenes SeniorJúlio Ximenes Sênior was a Brazilian scientist and medical doctor, in the research field of biochemistry, microbiology, and was also a career Brazilian Army officer....
, Béchamp Contre Pasteur, Gráfica Comércio E Indústria Ltda (1960) - Louise L. Lambrichs, La vérité médicale, éd. Robert LAFFONT (1993) (ISBN 2-221-06594-8)
- Pierre-Yves Laurioz, Louis Pasteur, la réalité après la légende, éd. De Paris (2003) (ISBN 2-85162-096-7)
- Adrien Loir, A l'ombre de Pasteur - souvenirs personnels, éd. Le mouvement sanitaire (1938)
- M. Nonclercq, Antoine Béchamp, l'homme et le savant, éd. Maloine (1982) (ISBN 2-224-00854-6)
External links
- Bechamp.org A collection of links and articles concerning Bechamp and pleomorphism.
- Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences (free downloaded).
- Béchamp Synthesis of para-substituted arylarsenous acids and transformation of nitro aromatics into amino aromatics.