De la substance feuilletée et cristalline contenue dans les calculs biliaires, et de la nature des concrétions cystiques cristalisées in Annales de Chimie, Vol. 3, 1789, pp. 242-252
Paris: Chez Joseph de Boffe, 1789. 1st Edition. FIRST EDITION OF FOURCROY’S “IMPORTANT” DISCOVERY OF COMPOUND CHOLESTEROL, "an insoluble constituent of animal fats found among the lipids in the bloodstream and in all cells of the human body” (Thudichum, A Treatise on Gall-stones”, 70; Boslaugh, Encyclopedia of Epidemiology, 179). The title translates as “Chemical Examination of the foliated and crystalline substance contained in Gall-stones, and of the nature of the cystic crystallized concretions”. Fourcroy notes the possibility that 20 years earlier, Poulletier de la Salle had likely obtained cholesterol; regardless, the substance remained unnamed until 1815 and history awards both the discovery and first description of cholesterol to this 1789 Fourcroy paper.
Fourcroy’s work on gallstones led to his discovery of cholesterol. While it was well known that some parts of the body putrefied to form a white waxy material resembling spermaceti, in 1786 Fourcroy had shown that the material had a lower melting point than did spermaceti and was more soluble in alcohol. Gallstones seemed to contain a similar substance. Fourcroy’s experiments led him to discover that his new extract —— a crystalline one he had isolated from alcoholic extracts of human gallstones — was only slightly soluble in alcohol and melted at a higher temperature than did the others. “This use of measurable physical properties to distinguish substances was very unusual before the nineteenth century” Dictionary of Scientific Biography, 5 p. 91).
Antoine François comte de Fourcroy (1755-1809) was a French chemist, a pioneer in animal and plant chemistry; he collaborated with Lavoisier and was also one of the scientific communities earliest converts to his views. Item #801
CONDITION & DETAILS: Paris: Chez Joseph de Boffe. (8.25 x 5.5 inches; 206 x 138mm). Bears one small ‘Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain’ stamp at the foot of the title page and a small penciled ‘x’ on the rear of the title page. There are no other library markings. [8], 315, [1], 4. Handsomely rebound in half-calf over marbled paper boards; 4 gilt-ruled and tooled bands at the spine; gilt-lettered black morocco spine label; new endpapers. Tight and very solid. Some minor foxing throughout. Very good +.
Price: $225.00