THE SCIEKTIF]C LIFE AI^D WORK OF 

 H. V. REGNAULT. 

 By Alexander Duane, 



Special Student in Union College. 

 [Read before the Albany Institute, Dec. 10, 1878.] 

 I. 



HIS LIFE. 



Henri Victor Regnault was born at Aix-la-Chapelle 

 on the 10th of Jul}^, 1810. At an earl}' age he became an 

 orphan, and was thrown upon his own resources to pro- 

 vide for himself and a sister. Finding no employment in 

 his own city, he removed to Paris and there obtained a 

 place as shopman in a bazaar. In this humble position 

 his inclination urged him to scientific research and through 

 the good use of the limited means at his disposal, he be- 

 came noted for his attainments in chemistry. In 1830, 

 he passed with distinction the severe competitive examina- 

 tion required for admission to the Polytechnic School, 

 and, after two years study in that institution, graduated 

 as a mining engineer. 



His attention at this time was principally directed to 

 the study of organic chemistry. While still prosecuting 

 his researches, he became professor at Lyons, whence he 

 was called in 1840 to the chair of chemistry in his alma 

 7naier, the Polytechnic School of Paris. In the same year, 

 his essay on the Action of Chlorine on Hydrochloric Ether 

 appeared in the Annales de Chimie et Physique (2d series, 

 vol. 71). This was the first of his published works which 

 attracted much notice, but previous to this he had con- 

 tributed several articles both to the Annales and to other 

 scientific periodicals. About this time he was elected a 

 member of the French Academy, his valuable discoveries 

 in organic chemistry having secured for him this honor. 



