LOUIS HENRI FREDERIC MELSENS: Nicotine, potassium iodide, and sulfur compounds.

Saved in:

Bibliographic Details
Title:	LOUIS HENRI FREDERIC MELSENS: Nicotine, potassium iodide, and sulfur compounds.
Authors:	Wisniak, Jaime¹ wisniak@exchange.bgu.ac.il
Source:	Revista CENIC Ciencias Quimicas. jul-dic2020, Vol. 51 Issue 2, p41-55. 15p.
Subjects:	MELSENS, Louis Henri Frederic, SULFUR compounds, POTASSIUM iodide, NICOTINE, CHLORINATION, SULFURYL chloride, ORGANIC compounds, ACTIVATED carbon
Abstract (English):	Louis Henri Frédéric Melsens (1814-1886) was a Belgian chemist, student of Dumas and Liebig, who showed the possibility of chlorinating an organic compound by hydrogen substitution; separated nicotine, determined its formula, and proved it was a powerful poison; discovered and described the composition and properties of sulfacetic acid, developed the synthesis of sulfuryl chloride by diverse procedures involving the direct reaction between SO2 and chlorine. Melsens carried an extensive study on the possibility of using potassium iodide as an antidote to poisoning by mercury and lead; the basic idea was to try to stabilize the metallic compounds that the animal economy retained by associating them with a substance that the economy was able to eliminate easily. He took advantage of the fact that all the insoluble compounds formed by mercury salts found in animal economy were soluble in potassium iodide and that the body could eliminate easily. He studied the action of activated carbon on the partial solidification of a volatile liquid, the accompanying thermal phenomena, and proved that the wetting of a solid was accompanied by an increase in temperature. He developed an improved process for the saponification of fats, for the extraction of sugar with the help of calcium bisulfide, a very efficient lightning rod based on Faraday's electric cage, and analyzed a series of physical problems related with firearms and ballistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Abstract (Spanish):	Louis Henri Frédéric Melsens (1814-1886) fue un químico belga, alumno de Dumas y de Liebig, que demostró la posibilidad de clorar un compuesto orgánico por substitución de hidrógeno; separó la nicotina, determinó sus fórmula y demostró que era un veneno poderoso; descubrió y determinó la composición y propiedades del ácido sulfo-acético; desarrolló la síntesis del cloruro de sulfurilo por diversos procesos basados en la reacción directa entre el dióxido de azufre y el cloro; y estudió la condensación del cloro mediante el carbón activado. Melsens llevó a cabo un extenso estudio acerca de la posibilidad de utilizar el yoduro de potasio como antídoto contra el envenenamiento por mercurio y plomo; la idea básica era estabilizar los compuestos metálicos que la economía animal retenía, asociándolos con una substancia que la economía eliminaba con facilidad. Para este efecto aprovechó el hecho que los compuestos insolubles formados por las sales de mercurio eran soluble en yoduro de potasio y que el cuerpo los podía eliminar fácilmente. Estudió la acción del carbón activado en la solidificación parcial de un líquido volátil, los fenómenos térmicos asociados, y demostró que el mojado de un sólido estaba acompañado por un aumento de la temperatura. Melsens desarrolló un proceso mejorado para la saponificación de las grasas, un proceso para la extracción de azúcar mediante bisulfuro de calcio, un pararrayos muy eficiente basado en la jaula eléctrica de Faraday, y estudió una serie de problemas físicos relacionados con armas de fuego y la balística. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
	Copyright of Revista CENIC Ciencias Quimicas is the property of Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database:	MedicLatina

Description
Abstract:	Louis Henri Frédéric Melsens (1814-1886) was a Belgian chemist, student of Dumas and Liebig, who showed the possibility of chlorinating an organic compound by hydrogen substitution; separated nicotine, determined its formula, and proved it was a powerful poison; discovered and described the composition and properties of sulfacetic acid, developed the synthesis of sulfuryl chloride by diverse procedures involving the direct reaction between SO2 and chlorine. Melsens carried an extensive study on the possibility of using potassium iodide as an antidote to poisoning by mercury and lead; the basic idea was to try to stabilize the metallic compounds that the animal economy retained by associating them with a substance that the economy was able to eliminate easily. He took advantage of the fact that all the insoluble compounds formed by mercury salts found in animal economy were soluble in potassium iodide and that the body could eliminate easily. He studied the action of activated carbon on the partial solidification of a volatile liquid, the accompanying thermal phenomena, and proved that the wetting of a solid was accompanied by an increase in temperature. He developed an improved process for the saponification of fats, for the extraction of sugar with the help of calcium bisulfide, a very efficient lightning rod based on Faraday's electric cage, and analyzed a series of physical problems related with firearms and ballistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:	10158553