Georges-Simon Serullas

Georges-Simon Serullas (2 November 1774 in Poncin – 25 May 1832 in Paris) was a professor of pharmacy notable for being the first to publish a work on Iodoform, an early antiseptic and disinfectant.

Biography

He was a professor and head pharmacist at the hospital of Val-de-Grâce; professor of chemistry at the Jardin des Plantes (the chief botanical garden in France), and member of the French Academy of Sciences (elected December 28, 1829 - Chemistry section).

He was one of the first researchers to draw attention to the haloform reaction. In 1822, Serullas added potassium metal to a solution of iodine in ethanol and water to form potassium formate and iodoform, called in the language of that time hydroiodide of carbon,[1] and used as an antiseptic.

He is buried in the Père Lachaise Cemetery (10th division).[2]

Tomb of Georges Simon Serullas at Père-Lachaise Cemetery

Publications

Observations physico-chimiques sur les alliages du potassium et du sodium avec d’autrs métaux ; propriétés nouvelles de ces alliages servant à expliquer le phénomène de l’inflammation spontanée du pyrophore et la cause des mouvemens du camphre sur l’eau. Antimoine arsenical dans le commerce. Metz, Antoine, September 1820.
Second mémoire sur les alliages du potassium et sur l’existence de l’arsenic dans les préparations antimoniales usitées en médecine. Metz, Antoine, May 1821.

References

Georges-Simon Surellas, Notes sur l'Hydriodate de potasse et l'Acide hydriodique. – Hydriodure de carbone; moyen d'obtenir, à l'instant, ce composé triple [Notes on the hydroiodide of potassium and on hydroiodic acid – hydroiodide of carbon; means of obtaining instantly this compound of three elements] (Metz, France: Antoine, 1822). On pages 17–20, Surellas produced iodoform by passing a mixture of iodine vapor and steam over red-hot coals. However, later, on pages 28–29, he produced iodoform by adding potassium metal to a solution of iodine in ethanol (which also contained some water).
Bauer, Paul (2006). Two centuries of history in Père Lachaise, Memory and Documents. p. 719. ISBN 978-2914611480.

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[1] Georges-Simon Surellas, Notes sur l'Hydriodate de potasse et l'Acide hydriodique. – Hydriodure de carbone; moyen d'obtenir, à l'instant, ce composé triple [Notes on the hydroiodide of potassium and on hydroiodic acid – hydroiodide of carbon; means of obtaining instantly this compound of three elements] (Metz, France: Antoine, 1822). On pages 17–20, Surellas produced iodoform by passing a mixture of iodine vapor and steam over red-hot coals. However, later, on pages 28–29, he produced iodoform by adding potassium metal to a solution of iodine in ethanol (which also contained some water).

[2] Bauer, Paul (2006). Two centuries of history in Père Lachaise, Memory and Documents. p. 719. ISBN 978-2914611480.