PELOUZE, Théophile Jules (1807-1867), French chemist, was born on 26 th February 1807 at Valognes in Normandy, where his father was manager of a porcelain manufactory. The elder Pelouze was a man of great ability and energy, but of a peculiarly susceptible temperament, which made it impossible for him to remain long in any position. He gave up his post at Valognes, and found employment successively at the glass-works of St Gobain, the iron-works at Charenton, and in gas-works. This moving life was unfavourable for the family finances, but doubtless gave young Pelouze opportunities of seeing and becoming familiar with a great variety of chemical operations on a large scale. He studied pharmaceutical chemistry first at La Fère, and afterwards, under Chevalier, at the École de Pharmacie in Paris. He then became a clinical clerk under Magendie in the Salpétrière hospital. One day, when returning from a visit to his father at Charenton, he was surprised by a heavy shower, and seeing what he took to be a public carriage—the omnibus of the period—he hailed it. It contained only one passenger, but the driver, instead of stopping for another fare, drove on without taking the least notice. Pelouze rushed up and stopped the horse. On this the solitary passenger, who was Gay-Lussac, explained that he had hired the vehicle for his own use, but that he would be glad of the company of the new-comer. The result of this accidental introduction was that Pelouze abandoned medicine and continued the study of chemistry in Gay-Lussac’s laboratory. From 1827 to 1829 he acted as assistant to Gay-Lussac and Lassaigne, and in 1830, on the recommendation of Gay-Lussac, he was appointed professor of chemistry at Lille. Returning to Paris, he was appointed in 1831 professor of chemistry ...