Background
Herman Emil Louis Fischer was born on 9 October, 1852 to Laurenz and Julie Fischer in the Euskirchen town of Germany. Laurenz was a successful entrepreneur dealing in the lumber industry.
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Herman Emil Louis Fischer was born on 9 October, 1852 to Laurenz and Julie Fischer in the Euskirchen town of Germany. Laurenz was a successful entrepreneur dealing in the lumber industry.
Louis was initially home tutored and later enrolled in school; he completed his schooling from the cities ofWetzlar and Bonn. After appearing for his final examinations in 1869, wherein he performed exceptionally, the bright mind wanted to pursue higher studies.
As the only living child of his parents he was expected to join the family business. But eventually his father agreed to let him pursue the study of natural sciences. Hence in 1871, Fischer was enrolled at the ‘University of Bonn’.
Initially inclined to specialize in physics, he moved to the ‘University of Strasbourg’ in 1872, along with his cousin Otto Fischer; who would later become his research partner.
At Strasbourg, his encounter with the director of chemical institute, Adolph von Baeyer sparked his lifelong interest in chemistry. Baeyer was credited with the discovery of phthalein dyes and Emil worked under him during his doctoral studies.
In 1874, he was awarded a Ph. D. in chemistry and his doctoral dissertation delved into study of organic compounds fluorescein and orcin-phthalein.
In 1874, he was offered the position of a research assistant at the ‘University of Strasbourg’. It was while working as an assistant in the organic chemistry laboratory under von Baeyer, that he discovered the first hydrazine derivative compound, phenylhydrazine.
In 1875, following the discovery of phenylhydrazine, Emil accompanied von Baeyer to the ‘University of Munich’ as an assistant. Three years later he was conferred upon the title of Privatdozent, which allowed him to teach university level courses.
In 1879, the ‘University of Munich’ offered him the position of Associate Professor of Analytical Chemistry. During his time at the university, he was devoted to the study of hydrazines. Along with Otto Fischer, the duo worked on demonstrating the constitution of chemical derivatives of triphenylmethane.
The ‘University of Erlangen’ offered Fischer the position of a professor of chemistry in 1881. It was here that he studied the compounds in tea and coffee and explained the molecular structures of compounds like caffeine and theobromine. He named this class of compounds as “purines” and even synthesised them artificially.
He went to the ‘University of Würzburg’ in 1885 and took up the job of a professor in chemistry; a position he would hold for the next eight years.
He continued his research work on purines and discovered that this family of bases even constituted the DNA.
Fischer then embarked on a study of sugars and devised the ‘Fischer Projection’ method to depict their molecular structure on a 2-D surface such as paper.
In continuation to his study of sugars, he studied the fermentation caused in sugar by enzymatic action. His ground-breaking work on organic compounds including purines and sugars earned him the Nobel Prize in the year 1902.
This eminent chemist then embarked on the study of proteins and deduced that the amino acids in proteins are linked by what are known as “peptide bonds”. He chemically synthesised artificial protein by linking amino acids with the amide bonds to scientifically prove his inferences.
On 15 July 1919, this eminent chemist ended his life by overdosing on phenylhydrazine.
(This book was digitized and reprinted from the collection...)
Quotations:
"Modern warfare is in every respect so horrifying, that scientific person will only regret that it draws its means from the progress of the sciences. I hope that the present war [World War I] will teach the peoples of Europe a lasting lesson and bring the friends of peace into power. Otherwise, the present ruling classes will really deserve to be swept away by socialism. "
"Once a molecule is asymmetric, its extension proceeds also in an asymmetrical sense. This concept completely eliminates the difference between natural and artificial synthesis. The advance of science has removed the last chemical hiding place for the once so highly esteemed vis vitalis. "
Quotes from others about the person
"First I would like to wash Bunsen, and then I would like to kiss him because he is such a charming man. "
Remark by the wife of Emil Fischer, upon meeting Bunsen for the first time, perhaps noticing a lasting chemical odour from his work.
"Emil Fischer represents a symbol of Germany's greatness. "
Emil exchanged the nuptial vows with Agnes Gerlach in 1888 and the couple had three sons.