Raspail, François-Vincent

(1794-1878)

   biologist, political figure

   Born in Carpentas, François-Vincent Raspail came to Paris, where he published several works on animal and vegetal life (1824-28) in which he seems to have developed a preliminary form of the cellular theory of histology and cytology. in particular, he introduced chemical tests in microscopic observations, allowing the identification of several substances. He showed that faint traces of arsenic appear in the human body, a factor brought up in a famous court case of the period (1840), and in medicine he did research in the field of camphor. A supporter of the revolution of 1830, Raspail belonged to a number of republican clubs and founded the newspaper Le Réformateur (1834-35), while also continuing his scientific studies. His political views, which favored a social-democratic republic, led him to publish works on public health (Le Médicin des familles, 1843; Le Manuel de la santé, 1845). In 1848, he was one of the first to proclaim the new republic, and he took part in the demonstrations of May 15, causing him to be arrested along with louis blanqui and others. The Socialist candidate for president of the republic (1848), Raspail was sentenced to prison (1849), then exiled. He returned to France only in 1863 and served as a deputy in 1869, and again from 1876 to 1878.