Rene-Antoine Ferchault de Réaumur

Rene-Antoine Ferchault de Réaumur , born the February 28th 1683 with La Rochelle and dead the October 17th 1757 in its field of Bermondière, with Saint-Julien-of-Terroux the, is a Scientifique French which was interested on subjects very varied such as the Métallurgie, the Température, the Porcelaine and particularly the Entomologie.

Biographical elements

The family of Ferchault has grounds in the Vendée, in the canton of Pouzauges. Jean Ferchault, the grandfather of Rene-Antoine, collector of customs to Luçon, buys in the Années 1620, part of the seigniory of Réaumur.

His/her father, Rene Ferchault who is to advise with the présidial La Rochelle, especially honorary function, dies on August 20th 1684, while his/her brother, Jean-Antoine (1684-1719), is born on October 1st from the same year.

Rene-Antoine attends the college Jesuit of Poitiers. In 1699, him and Jean-Antoine settle with Bourges to continue their studies near their uncle, the canon Gabriel Bouchel. Rene-Antoine studies in particular the right and mathematics.

Arrival in Paris

In 1703, it arrives at Paris where it continues its studies of mathematics and physics. It is his/her cousin, Charles Hénault (1685-1770) which receives it and, knowing its taste and its aptitudes for mathematics, the fact of knowing Jean-Paul Bignon (1662-1743), then president of the Academy of Science. March 12th 1708, he becomes pupil geometrician with the Academy. As of on May 19th 1708, it reads in front of the Academy a communication on a problem of geometry, Manière of finding an infinity of new curved lines, while making traverse a given unspecified line, by one of the ends of a straight line also given, and always placed on the same point fixes, where it uses a method developped at the point by Louis Carré (1663-1711). It presents the following year two others memories relating to the same subject. He is regarded as the creator of the concept of developed imperfect.

They are only work of Réaumur in mathematics. In November 1709, it presents a report entitled Of the formation and increase in the shells of the animals as well terrestrial as watery, either of sea, or of rivers . This work, where it specifies the mode of growth of the shells of Mollusque, inaugurates its research on the Invertébré S.

It spends much time in its fields to observe nature there. It presents in 1710 several memories devoted to the invertebrates, including one on the silk of Araignée. The death of Louis Carré enables him to obtain the title of boarder mechanic to the Academy of Science, on May 14th 1711.

The Academy of Science

It takes part consequently actively in all the activities of the Academy. It is named for the first time sub-manager of the Academy in 1713 (then in 1718,1722,1723,1726,1730,1734,1739,1746 and 1752) and director the following year (like in 1716,1717,1720,1724,1727,1731,1735,1740,1747 and 1753).

Its communications follow one another: in 1712, it is interested in the shells, the reproduction of the crayfish S and to the Algue S. In 1713, it is devoted to the Botanique. Parallel to its own research, it is charged by the Academy with making appear a Description of Arts and Métiers . In 1711, it makes appear its first two studies, on the manufacture of slate and the false pearls, then, the following year, on the techniques used for the manufacture of mirrors, and, in 1713, on the work of the gilder. These first evaluations of the French craft industry, where he often proposes technical improvements, are gathered and published by the Academy of 1761 with 1782 in 18 volumes.

It is in this series that its first metallurgy observations fit, interest actively supported by the Regent, Philippe of Orleans (1674-1723). It presents to the Academy, between 1720 and 1722, ten memories devoted to this subject. It gathers them and the fact of appearing in two parts under the titles Art to convert the wrought iron and art to soften molten iron or to make iron works melted as finished as the wrought iron and Art to soften molten iron or art to make iron works melted as finished as the wrought iron . In December 1721, the Regent rewards it for his research while allotting to him: 12000 pounds of annual rent, of which it will make gift with the Academy.

In 1725, it makes appear its Explication of the principles establish by Mr. de Réaumur for the construction of the thermometers of which the degrees are comparable . In 1734, it publishes the first volume of its Mémoires to be used for the History of the Insects . The second volume appears in 1736, the third in 1737, the fourth in 1738, the fifth in 1740, the sixth in 1742. In 1749, it publishes the Art to make hatch and to raise in all seasons of the domestic birds of all species .

In 1751, a collaborator, Pierre Beams, celebrates doctor, meteorologist, botanist and naturalist, becomes his corresponding to the Academy.

Metallurgy

Steel

It is interested in manufacture of the Acier and tries to improve the poor French production. The first, it shows that the Acier contains Carbone. Thanks to its research on ferrous alloys, it shows the possibility of transforming the cast iron into steel, by metal addition of iron or oxide. He also studies the heat treatments of steel: Cementing and Hardening by inaugurating the use of the Microscope for the study of the constitution of metals, creating the Metallography. It publishes in 1712 Art to convert the wrought iron into steel and Art to soften molten iron .

Tinplate

It develops an economic process of manufacture of the Fer-blanc in 1725. First of all, he recommends to choose the rather flexible steel sheets, to pickle them with an acid solution (vinegar, rye water?), then to rub them with sand before galvanizing them. It also states that the tin bath must be covered with a layer of tallow to limit the formation of impurities. ( Principles of art of making Tinplate , registers of the royal Academy of sciences, April 21st, 1725.)

Anchors

Réaumur presents in July 1723 to the Academy Fabrique of the anchors , with notes and additions of Duhamel. This work is published in 1761 in the Descriptions of Arts and Métiers, made or approved by Sirs of the Royal Academy of Sciences.

The thermometer

Réaumur built in 1730 the first reliable Alcohol thermometer, of which the intuition returns however to Isaac Newton and who will immortalisera his name. Réaumur gauged its thermometer from 0 to 80, between the freezing point of the water and the point of boiling of “spirit of wine”, as one said at the time, i.e. the ethanol or ethanol. Let us notice that the point of boiling of ethanol is very precisely of 78,4°C (in degrees Celsius). (See also: scale Réaumur).

The study of the insects and other invertebrates

At the beginning of its research, it is impassioned for the invertebrates and in particular the insects. In 1710, it writes a report entitled Examen of the silk of the Spiders in which it studies a proposal of François Xavier Bon of Saint Hilaire (1678-1761), president of the Court of Auditors of Montpellier, and which is interested in the possibility of using the silk of spider in the place of that produced by the Silkworm. Réaumur shows that the silk of spider is more expensive to produce while being less beautiful.

Its cabinet of curiosities

Réaumur constitutes a very rich Cabinet of curiosities where it tries, not only to obtain a specimen of each species, but especially to have information on its habitat and its manners. For Réaumur, the cabinet is not a place simply dedicated to the accumulation of the collections but must be before a whole scientific tool with whole share. Its cabinet one of richest of Europe, is only exceeded, undoubtedly, by that of Sir Hans Sloane.

Its ornithological collections are more reduced than its collections of Coquillage S, probably because of the difficulties of safeguarding of the skins of Oiseau X, in particular of the attacks of the Insecte S. But it constitutes richest of Europe. Its collections of birds are known thanks to the work of Mathurin Jacques Brisson (1723-1806), conservative of the cabinet of Réaumur. It makes appear in 1760 Ornithologie (6 volumes), one of the vastest ornithological catalogs ever written. It reaches, in addition to the collection of Réaumur, with Parisian private collections. The Ornithologie of Brisson will remain a reference lasting more than one century.

With died of Réaumur, Buffon succeeds in obtaining its collections and integrating them in the Cabinet of the king, depend on the Jardin of the king, although Réaumur bequeathed them to the Academy.

Works

Art to convert the wrought iron into steel and art to soften iron melted, or to make iron works melted as finished as the wrought iron (1722)

Réaumur shows the first that the Acier contains Carbone. This work, which he writes then, is founder of the scientific Sidérurgie and remains the top of its scientific work.

Factory of the anchors (1723) Extracted in line
Memories to be used for the history of the insects (1734-1742). Volume I: Caterpillars and Papillons ; Volume II: Continuation and history of the enemy Insects of the Caterpillars ; Volume III: History of the minor Worms of the sheets, the Tineas, the false Tineas, the Plant louses, the enemies of the Plant louses, the false Plant louses and the history of Wales of the plants and their insects ; Volume IV: History of Gallinsectes, Progallinsectes and the Flies with two wings ; Divide into volumes V: Continuation and history of several Flies with four wings, knowledge of the Flies with Saws, the Cicadas and the Bees ; Volume VI: Continuation with supplement of the Flies with two wings ; Volume VII: History of the ants, History of the Average beetles Text in line
to prevent the evaporation of spirituous liquors, in which one wants to preserve productions of the Nature of differens kinds (1746)
Art to make hatch and to raise in any season of the Domestic birds of all species, either by the means of the heat of the manure, or by the means of that of ordinary fire (2 volumes, 1749; 1751)

It is the first treaty of Aviculture. It is composed of 10 memories describing the various stages of this technique. Presented to the Academy of Science in 1747, this method of artificial incubation, inspired by the Egyptian ancient techniques, allowed a considerable improvement of the avicolous breeding in France, and was used accurately during more than two centuries.

Practical of art to make hatch and to raise in any season of the domestic birds of all species, either by the means of the heat of the manure, or by the means of that of ordinary fire (1751)

It is a kind of summary, which Réaumur intends more for the “habitans of the countryside” which wish to implement its discoveries than to the public of “physicists” and scientists who were the recipients of the first version.

Lettres has Ameriquain on the natural history, general and particuliere of Mister de Buffon. Continuation of the Letters has Ameriquain, on the natural history of Mr. de Buffon; and on the Draft of the animals of Mr. the abbot of Condillac (4 volumes, 1751-1756)

Allegedly printed in Hamburg (because of the competition opposing Réaumur and Buffon?), the Lettres - and particularly their title pages - are equipped with a typography imitating the German impressions. “For Reaumur, which hides behind the Abbé of Lignac, the fact of perceiving the divine power through the complexity and the perfection of its works prohibited to make a synthesis of it. Much more, it is sacrilege to want to interpret the human observations, because the man is not inevitably in the center of the world such as thought God. On the basis of there, it could only be opposed to Buffon which proposes to place the man in the center of his Natural history. ” (Pascale Heurtel, All knowledge of the World ).

Art of Epinglier. With additions of Mr. Duhamel of the Heap, & remarks extracted the Memories of Mr. Perronet, general inspector of the Bridges & Chaussées (1761)

Réaumur was charged by the Academy of Science with the direction with the description of various arts and trades.

new Letters of Réaumur (1886)
Selected Pieces , Gallimard, 1939.

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