History of biochemistry
The history of biochemistry can be said to have started with the ancient Greeks who were interested in the composition and processes of life, although biochemistry as a specific scientific discipline has its beginning around the early 19th century. Some argued that the beginning of biochemistry may have been the discovery of the first enzyme, diastase (today called amylase), in 1833 by Anselme Payen, while others considered Eduard Buchner's first demonstration of a complex biochemical process alcoholic fermentation in cell-free extracts to be the birth of biochemistry. Some might also point to the influential work of Justus von Liebig from 1842, "Animal chemistry, or, Organic chemistry in its applications to physiology and pathology", which presented a chemical theory of metabolism, or even earlier to the 18th century studies on fermentation and respiration by Antoine Lavoisier.
Jean-Baptiste-Michel Bucquet
Bucquet was born in Paris, in 1746. He was first sent to study law but he then turned to science and attended classes at the Faculty of Medicine in Paris. There he encountered for the first time chemistry applied to medicine. Despite financial trouble, he graduated in 1770 and thus became Docteur-Régent, and married Marie Claude Leredde shortly after. He then started teaching a public course in chemistry in his own laboratory. Between 1771 and 1773, Bucquet published a manual of chemistry, first on mineral then on vegetal chemistry, destined for the use of beginners in the science who need a coherent overview of the different processes and products in use. This manual was intended for people attending his course but also for those who could not. Bucquet's public course carried out for several years, and was mentioned in the Journal de Médecine. In 1775, Bucquet became professor of pharmacy at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Paris, and the next year, following the death of Augustin Roux, he took the chair of chemistry at the Faculty. He became part of the French Academy of Sciences as a chemist in 1777. During his years at the Academy, he published a few works of chemical analysis, including one in collaboration with the duke of La Rochefoucauld. He eventually acquired the laboratory in rue Jacob which used to belong to the chemist Rouelle and carried out his public courses there. He continued giving public courses until 1779, at which point he became to ill to continue. He was known to be a very good teacher and many attended his courses. He died of his disease in 1780. He was known to be a very good teacher and many attended his courses.