Jean-Nicolas Gannal, (27 July 1791,

Saarlouis Saarlouis (; french: link=no, Sarrelouis, ; formerly Sarre-Libre and Saarlautern) is a town in Saarland, Germany, capital of the district of Saarlouis. In 2020, the town had a population of 34,409. Saarlouis, as the name implies, is located on t ...

– 13 January 1852, Paris) was a pharmacist, chemist, and inventor.

Biography

Gannal began his career as a pharmacist's apprentice. From 1808 to 1812 he was in the medical corps of the French army. He was at Metz, Hannover, and Lübeck. In 1812, because he spoke fluent German, he was assigned to Marshal Davout's headquarters as an interpreter. Gannal was captured by the Russians on 10 December 1812 and interned at

Vilnius Vilnius ( , ; see also other names) is the capital and largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 (according to the state register) or 625,107 (according to the municipality of Vilnius). The population of Vilnius's functional urb ...

. He escaped and returned to French headquarters in Dresden on 19 June 1813 and was then redeployed. Gannal claimed to have been captured seven times in 18 months, the last time by the Austrians. He returned from captivity to Paris on 5 October 1815. After demobilization, he jointed the chemical laboratory at l'

École polytechnique École may refer to: * an elementary school in the French educational stages normally followed by secondary education establishments (collège and lycée) * École (river), a tributary of the Seine flowing in région Île-de-France * École, Savoi ...

, where he remained until 1818. He was an assistant preparator (''préparateur adjoint'') to

Gay-Lussac Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac (, , ; 6 December 1778 – 9 May 1850) was a French chemist and physicist. He is known mostly for his discovery that water is made of two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen (with Alexander von Humboldt), for two laws ...

and Thénard. He worked for the chemical laboratory of the Académie des Sciences.Note du Secrétariat général de la Présidence de la République, 1850, Archives nationales Gannal then developed methods for industry and went into business for himself. He published his book ''Histoire des Embaumements'' in 1838. This work was translated into English in 1840 and was the basis for establishing the embalming method called in the U.S.A. the Gannal process ("procédé Gannal"). He married Theresia Demar; among their children were two physician-pharmacists. Jean-Nicolas Gannal was succeeded in his embalming business by a son and a grandson. In 1903, their company embalmed the body of

Elie Faure Elie and Earlsferry is a coastal town and former royal burgh in Fife, and parish, Scotland, situated within the East Neuk beside Chapel Ness on the north coast of the Firth of Forth, eight miles east of Leven. The burgh comprised the linked vi ...

, the famous historian of art. According to the company's records, the Gannal process was used to embalm the bodies of

Hortense Schneider Hortense Catherine Schneider, ''La Snédèr'', (30 April 1833 in Bordeaux, France – 5 May 1920, in Paris, France) was a French soprano, one of the greatest operetta stars of the 19th century, particularly associated with the works of composer J ...

Anna de Noailles Anna, Comtesse Mathieu de Noailles (Anna Elisabeth Bibesco-Bassaraba de Brancovan) (15 November 1876 – 30 April 1933) was a French writer of Romanian and Greek descent, a poet and a socialist feminist. Biography Personal life Born Princess ...

Paul Doumer Joseph Athanase Doumer, commonly known as Paul Doumer (; 22 March 18577 May 1932), was the President of France from 13 June 1931 until his assassination on 7 May 1932. Biography Joseph Athanase Doumer was born in Aurillac, in the Cantal ''dépa ...

, maréchal Joffre and many other celebrities. Jean-Nicolas Gannal died in Paris on 13 January 1852, at his residence at 6

rue de Seine Rue de Seine is a street in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. Rue de Seine is one of the most sought after streets in Paris due to its history and very close proximity to the Louvre and other famous Parisian landmarks. The rue de Seine and surro ...

, and was buried at

cimetière du Montparnasse Montparnasse Cemetery (french: link=no, Cimetière du Montparnasse) is a cemetery in the Montparnasse quarter of Paris, in the city's 14th arrondissement. The cemetery is roughly 47 acres and is the second largest cemetery in Paris. The cemetery ...

Bibliography

* Jean-Nicolas Gannal, ''Histoire des Embaumements et de la préparation des pièces d'anatomie normale'' 1838 : l'édition de 1841 est librement consultable su
Googlebooks

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gannal, Jean-Nicolas 19th-century French chemists Embalmers 1791 births 1852 deaths People from Saarlouis Burials at Montparnasse Cemetery

Biography

See also

Bibliography

References