Klem — The History of Science in St. Louis. 81 



ist. Entering the service of the king of Spain, he was 

 sent to Spanish America about 1783 to examine the geo- 

 logical formations of the country and its fauna and flora. 

 After a visit to Paris he returned to America and in 

 1787 explored Kentucky and the country along the Ohio 

 river, writing an interesting account of the adventures 

 that befell him and his companions on this expedition. 

 After enduring almost incredible hardships from fatigue, 

 exposure, hunger, and the attacks of hostile Indians, Dr. 

 Saugrain and his companions reached the Falls of the 

 Ohio. After recovering from wounds he had sustained, 

 the Doctor made an examination of the soil and its nat- 

 ural products, particularly the mineral deposits and salt 

 licks. Proceeding up the Ohio on a flat boat to Fort Pitt, 

 now Pittsburg, he crossed the mountains to Philadelphia, 

 where he was received by Franklin. 



Eeturning to France, Dr. Saugrain remained there 

 until 1792 or 1793, when he sailed again for the United 

 States with a company of French colonists, who located 

 at Gallipolis, Ohio. For various reasons the colonists 

 became dissatisfied and most of them moved elsewhere. 

 Dr. Saugrain went to Lexington, Ky., probably in 1796 

 or 1797, and the following year visited St. Louis. Being 

 much pleased with the place and the people, he brought 

 his family to live here in 1800. 



He seems to have been both popular and successful 

 as a physician, but preferred chemistry to medicine, and 

 devoted all of his leisure time to it. Dr. Saugrain prob- 

 ably had the first laboratory in St. Louis. A contem- 

 porary of his says: ''Many of my countrymen used to 



Dandridge, N. P. Antoine Francois Saugrain (De Vigni) "The first 

 scientist of the Mississippi valley." Jour. Amer. Med. Assoc. 43: 2007- 

 2011. 1904. 



Goodwin, E. J. Antoine Francois Saugrain. A history of medicine 

 in Missouri. 19-21. 1905. 



Bliss, E. F. Dr. Saugrain's note-books. Proc. Amer. Ant. Soc. 19: 

 221-238. 1908. 



Byars, W. V. The first scientist of the Mississippi valley. A memoir 

 of the life and work of Doctor Antoine Francois Saugrain. n. d. 



