Félix Archimède Pouchet
Encyclopedia
Félix-Archimède Pouchet (August 26, 1800, in Rouen, France to December 6, 1872) was a French naturalist and a leading proponent of spontaneous generation
of life from non-living materials, and as such an opponent of Louis Pasteur
's germ theory. He was the father of Georges Pouchet
(1833–1894), a professor of comparative anatomy
.
From 1828 he was director of the Rouen Museum of Natural History
and the Rouen Jardin des Plantes. Later, in 1838, he became professor at the School of Medicine at Rouen. His major scientific work Hétérogénie was published in 1859. He also wrote a layperson's encyclopedia The Universe, published in 1870, which gives an overview of the sciences, but in which Pouchet ridicules Louis Pasteur
's theories (calling them panspermism) and atomic theory
.
In 1847 Felix-Archimede Pouchet effectively launched the study of the physiology of cytology.
Spontaneous generation
Spontaneous generation or Equivocal generation is an obsolete principle regarding the origin of life from inanimate matter, which held that this process was a commonplace and everyday occurrence, as distinguished from univocal generation, or reproduction from parent...
of life from non-living materials, and as such an opponent 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...
's germ theory. He was the father of Georges Pouchet
Georges Pouchet
Charles Henri Georges Pouchet was a French naturalist and anatomist who was born in Rouen. He was the son of naturalist Félix Archimède Pouchet....
(1833–1894), a professor of comparative anatomy
Comparative anatomy
Comparative anatomy is the study of similarities and differences in the anatomy of organisms. It is closely related to evolutionary biology and phylogeny .-Description:...
.
From 1828 he was director of the Rouen Museum of Natural History
Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle de Rouen
The Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle de Rouen is a museum in Rouen, northern France, founded in 1828 by Félix Archimède Pouchet...
and the Rouen Jardin des Plantes. Later, in 1838, he became professor at the School of Medicine at Rouen. His major scientific work Hétérogénie was published in 1859. He also wrote a layperson's encyclopedia The Universe, published in 1870, which gives an overview of the sciences, but in which Pouchet ridicules 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...
's theories (calling them panspermism) and atomic theory
Atomic theory
In chemistry and physics, atomic theory is a theory of the nature of matter, which states that matter is composed of discrete units called atoms, as opposed to the obsolete notion that matter could be divided into any arbitrarily small quantity...
.
In 1847 Felix-Archimede Pouchet effectively launched the study of the physiology of cytology.