Mathieu Joseph Bonaventure Orfila

Mathieu Orfila was a Spanish-born French chemist and toxicologist, who is widely regarded as the founder of the science of toxicology. He was born in Mahón, Menorca, Spain, on April 24, 1787, to a family of merchants and seafarers. He studied medicine in Valencia and Barcelona, and then moved to Paris in 1807 to pursue his interest in chemistry and pharmacy. He became a protégé of Louis-Nicolas Vauquelin and Louis-Jacques Thénard, two prominent French chemists. He obtained his medical degree from the Faculty of Medicine of Paris in 1811. Orfila's main contribution to toxicology was his comprehensive treatise on poisons, titled Traité des poisons tirés des règnes minéral, végétal et animal; ou toxicologie générale, considérée sous les rapports de la physiologie, de la pathologie et de la médecine légale, which was published in two volumes in 1814-1815. The treatise classified and described the properties, effects, detection, and antidotes of various poisons from the mineral, vegetable, and animal kingdoms. It also discussed the physiological and pathological aspects of poisoning, as well as the legal and forensic implications. The treatise was translated into several languages and became a standard reference for toxicologists and medical practitioners. Orfila also made significant contributions to forensic medicine and chemistry. He developed and improved various methods for detecting poisons in biological samples, such as the Marsh test for arsenic. He also conducted experiments on animals and corpses to study the absorption and distribution of poisons in the body. He was frequently consulted as an expert witness in criminal cases involving poisoning, such as the famous trial of Marie Lafarge in 1840. He also reformed the medical education system in France as the dean of the Faculty of Medicine of Paris from 1831 to 1848. He established new facilities, curricula, and examination procedures for medical students. He also promoted public health initiatives and humanitarian causes. Orfila was a prolific writer and a prominent member of the scientific community. He published several other books and articles on topics such as medical chemistry, asphyxiation, exhumation, wine adulteration, and death diagnosis. He was a member or president of various scientific societies and academies, such as the Academy of Medicine, the Academy of Sciences, and the Royal Society of London. He was also a royal physician to Louis XVIII and Charles X, and a Knight of the Legion of Honor. Orfila died on March 12, 1853, in Paris, France, after a short illness. He was buried in the Montparnasse Cemetery. His legacy lives on as one of the founders and pioneers of modern toxicology and forensic science.