A method of coating iron by dipping the metal into molten zinc was described by Paul Jacques Malouin in a 1742 presentation to the Royal Academy. This technical contribution remains a notable example of his interest in applying chemical processes to practical material applications throughout his career as a physician and researcher in eighteenth-century France.
Medical Education and Practice
Born in Caen in 1701, Malouin was sent to Paris by his father to study law, but he ultimately pursued medicine instead. He graduated from the Paris Medical Faculty in 1730, defying the career path his father had intended for him. By 1734, he had established a private medical practice in Paris, where he secured a patient base that included members of the aristocracy and the royal family.
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Malouin transitioned into formal court service in 1753 by purchasing the role of physician to the queen from Lassone for 22,000 livres. In 1770, he added the position of physician to the Dauphine to his professional responsibilities. His royal service allowed him to reside in an apartment in the Louvre and maintain rooms at Versailles. Beyond his clinical duties, he conducted a nine-year study between 1746 and 1754 focused on the relationship between atmospheric temperatures and epidemic diseases in Paris.
Academic Contributions and Roles
Entering the French Academy of Sciences in 1742, Malouin advanced his professional standing through research and teaching. He held a professorship of chemistry at the Jardin du Roi starting in 1745 and later joined the faculty at the Collège de France, where he served from 1767 until 1777. In 1776, he was named professor at the Royal College, holding the Chair of Medicine until his death in January 1778.
Literary and Scientific Output
Malouin served as an encyclopédiste, contributing over 75 articles to the Encyclopédie Méthodique and 71 entries to the Encyclopédie of Diderot. He also authored specific volumes within the Descriptions des Arts et Métiers series, including works on milling and baking. His medical publications included the 1734 Traité de chimie and the 1760 Pharmacopée chimique. His status was further acknowledged internationally when he became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1753.
Fast facts
- Born: 1701, Caen, France
- Died: 1778, Paris, France
- Educated at: Paris Medical Faculty
- Key Appointment: Physician to the queen (1753)
- Professional Role: Professor, Collège de France (1767-1777)
- Membership: Fellow of the Royal Society (1753)
- Notable innovation: Hot-dip galvanizing method (1742)
Questions readers ask
What was the extent of Malouin's wealth at the time of his death?
His estate was valued at 132,775 livres, with the majority held in state bonds.
Did Malouin hold any formal teaching positions?
Yes, he held professorships at the Jardin du Roi, the Collège de France, and the Royal College.
Achievements
- Fellow of the Royal Society
- Held posts at Collège de France
