[Lavoisier and the Parisian pharmacists of his time]

In the 17th and 18th centuries, pharmacists were highly competent in experimentation and well-versed in chemical manipulations. Of necessity, Lavoisier had extensive rapport with them. Presented here are the attitudes regarding him by pharmacists who had their own shops during the twenty years preceding the Revolution. There were his adversaries (one implacable: Baumé; the other lightly mocking: Demachy), his defenders (one timorous: Bronigniart; the other enthusiastic: Cadet de Vaux), and finally and above all those who remained indifferent, although for the most part they had worked for brief periods with Lavoisier (Cadet de Gassicourt, Déyeux, Mitouard and Quinquet). And yet, Baumé and Cadet de Vaux, who were in opposition when faced with the ideas of the new chemistry, joined in their efforts to attempt to get Lavoisier out of prison, at the risk of being guillotined. Finally, the greatest hommage rendered to the pharmacists came from Lavoisier himself, who believing that he would be released from prison denied all of his assets, envisaged himself becoming a pharmacist.