Félix d'Herelle
| Félix d'Herelle | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | April 25, 1873 Paris, France |
| Died | February 22, 1949 (aged 75) Paris, France |
| Nationality | French-Canadian |
| Fields | Microbiologist |
| Known for | Bacteriophages |
| Notable awards | Leeuwenhoek Medal (1925) |
Félix d'Herelle (April 25, 1873 – February 22, 1949) was a French-Canadian microbiologist. He was co-discoverer of bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) and experimented with the possibility of phage therapy. D'Herelle has also been credited for his contributions to the larger concept of applied microbiology.
Hubert Augustin Félix Haerens was born in Paris, France 47 rue de Berri (8e arrondissement), as indicated on his birth certificate, contrary to an old claim that suggested he was born in Montreal to French immigrants. He later changed his name for d'Hérelle, often spelled without an accent because of the use of English typewriters. His father was 30 years old when he died. At that time, Félix was 6 years old.
From 7 to 17 years of age, d'Herelle attended school in Paris, including the Lycée Condorcet and Lycée Louis-le-Grand high schools. In the fall of 1891, d'Herelle traveled to Bonn where he attended lectures at the University of Bonn "for several months."
Thus, d'Herelle obtained only a high school education and was self-taught in the sciences. Between 16 and 24, d'Herelle traveled extensively via money given by his mother. At 16, he started to travel through western Europe by bike. At 17, after finishing school, he traveled through South America. Afterwards, he continued his travels through Europe, including Turkey, where he, at 20, met his wife, Marie Caire.
At 24, now the father of a daughter, d'Herelle and his family moved to Canada. He built a home laboratory and studied microbiology from books and his own experiments. Through the influence of a friend of his late father, he earned a commission from the Canadian government to study the fermentation and distillation of maple syrup to schnapps. His father's friend shrewdly pointed out that Pasteur "made a good beginning by studying fermentations, so it might be interesting to you, too." He also worked as a medic for a geological expedition, even though he had no medical degree or real experience. Together with his brother, he invested almost all his money in a chocolate factory, which soon went bankrupt.
...
Wikipedia