Background
Comte was born on March 1, 1839, in Besançon, France.
Comte was born on March 1, 1839, in Besançon, France.
His early education was supervised by his father; later he attended the school of sciences in Besancon, where his interest in science was encouraged by Professor Loir, brother-in-law of Pasteur. After studying engineering in the Ecole Polytechnique in Paris, he did graduate work in chemistry at the time Pasteur was studying the diseases of the silkworm, and Chardonnet later spent many years studying the life and habits of the silkworm, as well as the chemical character of the leaves and bark of mulberry trees.
He built a laboratory in the little village of Gergy, and there with his faithful helper, Fournecet, he began his labors in 1879. On May 12, 1884, he sent a sealed communication to the Academy of Sciences, announcing his discovery of the artificial-silk process, and under Academy protection he began to work out his invention on a commercial scale in Besancon. The success of his method brought about competition, but he welcomed this stimulus and worked on his own process with undeviating energy up to the time of his death. In 1919 Chardonnet was made the first member of the newly created industrial section of the French Academy of Sciences; he was awarded the Perkin Medal in 1914.
