Louis Joseph d'Albert d'Ailly
Encyclopedia
Louis Joseph d'Albert d'Ailly (1741–1792), seventh Duke of Chaulnes
and son of Michel Ferdinand d'Albert d'Ailly
, was a chemist
and French aristocrat
.
. He studied science successfully and became a member of the Royal Society
in London.
He retired from military service at the age of twenty-four with the simple rank of colonel
and instead undertook the study of natural sciences. In 1775, he proved that the poisonous air produced in the brewing process was carbon dioxide
, and demonstrated a method of easily preparing acidic water with instruments with which water was shaken above vats where beer
was fermenting. He showed a method of extracting and purifying salts from urine. In 1773, he found a way to crystallize alkalis by saturating carbon dioxide over a vat of beer.
Chemists at the time recognised that asphyxiation from coal fumes is due to the formation of carbon dioxide. Chaulnes proposed a way to recover from suffocation through the administration of ammonia
gas in various forms. After experiencing success with animals, he wanted to confirm his discoveries on human beings. He gave instructions to his valet
and, when he had practised enough, he shut himself in a glass cabinet, sat on a mattress and surrounded himself with burning charcoal.
The valet obeyed promptly and brought his master back to life.
In the course of Chaulnes' travels he visited Egypt in 1763 where he recorded what he saw with accurate drawings of several monuments which until then had been un-published or poorly described. However, he included only one in the paper Mémoire sur la véritable entrée du monument égyptien qui se trouve à quatre lieues du Caire, près de Sakara, Paris, 1783, in-4°. That monument, known as the Well of Birds, was a tomb for sacred animals. The author recounts his fruitless attempts to make plaster casts of the superb hieroglyphs
and gives other curious details. He also puslished Mémoire et Expériences sur l'air fixe qui se dégage de la bière en fermentation, included in vol. 9 of an anthology of foreign scholars of the Academy of Sciences
, 1780.
On 11 February 1773 The Duke of Chaulnes had an altercation with Caron de Beaumarchais who accused him of stealing his mistress, the actress Mademoiselle Ménard. He was then imprisoned at the Château de Vincennes
.
Duke of Chaulnes
The title of Duke of Chaulnes , a French peerage, is held by the Albert family beginning in 1621.-History:The Duchy of Chaulnes was established by a letters patent of January 1621, registered on 6 March 1621 at the Parliament of Paris in favour of a younger brother of Charles d'Albert, Duke of...
and son of Michel Ferdinand d'Albert d'Ailly
Michel Ferdinand d'Albert d'Ailly
Michel Ferdinand d'Albert d'Ailly , Duke of Picquigny and then Duke of Chaulnes from 1744, was a French astronomer and physicist.-Biography:...
, was a chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
and French aristocrat
French nobility
The French nobility was the privileged order of France in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern periods.In the political system of the Estates General, the nobility made up the Second Estate...
.
Biography
At the death of his father in 1769, Louis Joseph inherited the title of Duke of PicquignyPicquigny
Picquigny is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:Picquigny is situated at the junction of the N235, the D141 and D3 roads, on the banks of the Somme River, some northwest of Amiens...
. He studied science successfully and became a member of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
in London.
He retired from military service at the age of twenty-four with the simple rank of colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
and instead undertook the study of natural sciences. In 1775, he proved that the poisonous air produced in the brewing process was carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
, and demonstrated a method of easily preparing acidic water with instruments with which water was shaken above vats where beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
was fermenting. He showed a method of extracting and purifying salts from urine. In 1773, he found a way to crystallize alkalis by saturating carbon dioxide over a vat of beer.
Chemists at the time recognised that asphyxiation from coal fumes is due to the formation of carbon dioxide. Chaulnes proposed a way to recover from suffocation through the administration of ammonia
Ammonia
Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . It is a colourless gas with a characteristic pungent odour. Ammonia contributes significantly to the nutritional needs of terrestrial organisms by serving as a precursor to food and fertilizers. Ammonia, either directly or...
gas in various forms. After experiencing success with animals, he wanted to confirm his discoveries on human beings. He gave instructions to his valet
Valet
Valet and varlet are terms for male servants who serve as personal attendants to their employer.- Word origins :In the Middle Ages, the valet de chambre to a ruler was a prestigious appointment for young men...
and, when he had practised enough, he shut himself in a glass cabinet, sat on a mattress and surrounded himself with burning charcoal.
The valet obeyed promptly and brought his master back to life.
In the course of Chaulnes' travels he visited Egypt in 1763 where he recorded what he saw with accurate drawings of several monuments which until then had been un-published or poorly described. However, he included only one in the paper Mémoire sur la véritable entrée du monument égyptien qui se trouve à quatre lieues du Caire, près de Sakara, Paris, 1783, in-4°. That monument, known as the Well of Birds, was a tomb for sacred animals. The author recounts his fruitless attempts to make plaster casts of the superb hieroglyphs
Hieroglyphs
Hieroglyph or hieroglyphics may refer to:*Anatolian hieroglyphs*Chinese character*Cretan hieroglyphs*Cursive hieroglyphs*Dongba script*Egyptian hieroglyphs*Hieroglyphic Luwian*Mayan hieroglyphs...
and gives other curious details. He also puslished Mémoire et Expériences sur l'air fixe qui se dégage de la bière en fermentation, included in vol. 9 of an anthology of foreign scholars of the Academy of Sciences
Academy of Sciences
An Academy of Sciences is a national academy or another learned society dedicated to sciences.In non-English speaking countries, the range of academic fields of the members of a national Academy of Science often includes fields which would not normally be classed as "science" in English...
, 1780.
On 11 February 1773 The Duke of Chaulnes had an altercation with Caron de Beaumarchais who accused him of stealing his mistress, the actress Mademoiselle Ménard. He was then imprisoned at the Château de Vincennes
Château de Vincennes
The Château de Vincennes is a massive 14th and 17th century French royal castle in the town of Vincennes, to the east of Paris, now a suburb of the metropolis.-History:...
.