Claude François Geoffroy (1729 – 18 June 1753) was a French

chemist A chemist (from Greek ''chēm(ía)'' alchemy; replacing ''chymist'' from Medieval Latin ''alchemist'') is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties. Chemists carefully describe th ...

. In 1753 he proved the

chemical element A chemical element is a species of atoms that have a given number of protons in their atomic nucleus, nuclei, including the pure Chemical substance, substance consisting only of that species. Unlike chemical compounds, chemical elements canno ...

bismuth Bismuth is a chemical element with the symbol Bi and atomic number 83. It is a post-transition metal and one of the pnictogens, with chemical properties resembling its lighter group 15 siblings arsenic and antimony. Elemental bismuth occurs ...

to be distinct from lead, becoming the official discoverer of the element. Before this time, bismuth-containing minerals were frequently misidentified as either

lead Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and also has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cut, ...

, tin, or

antimony Antimony is a chemical element with the symbol Sb (from la, stibium) and atomic number 51. A lustrous gray metalloid, it is found in nature mainly as the sulfide mineral stibnite (Sb2S3). Antimony compounds have been known since ancient ti ...

ores. His observations on the matter were published in the ''Mémoires de l’académie française'' in 1753. He became a master

apothecary ''Apothecary'' () is a mostly archaic term for a medical professional who formulates and dispenses '' materia medica'' (medicine) to physicians, surgeons, and patients. The modern chemist (British English) or pharmacist (British and North Amer ...

in 1748, and in 1752 he was admitted to the

Académie des sciences The French Academy of Sciences (French: ''Académie des sciences'') is a learned society, founded in 1666 by Louis XIV at the suggestion of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, to encourage and protect the spirit of French scientific research. It was at ...

as a supernumerary adjoint chemist. He died on 18 June 1753, (age 23 or 24).Centenaire de l'Ecole supérieure de pharmacie de l'université de Paris: 1803
by Léon Guignard He is known as Claude Geoffroy the Younger to distinguish him from his father

Claude Joseph Geoffroy Claude Joseph Geoffroy (8 August 1685, Paris – 9 March 1752, Paris) was the brother of Étienne François Geoffroy. Like his brother, he was an apothecary and chemist. Having a considerable knowledge of botany, he devoted himself especially ...

(1685–1752), also a French chemist and apothecary, member of the Académie des sciences. He was also notorious for his common visits to local brothels. Which was largely ignored till in a scandal that threatened his position at the

it was discovered that he was sleeping with prostitutes of both sexes. He vehemently denied the accusations, but not before his reputation was tarnished in the eyes of the French Elite.

References

18th-century French chemists 1729 births 1753 deaths Discoverers of chemical elements {{france-chemist-stub