Raspail, François Vincent

Born Jan. 29, 1794, in Car-pentras; died Jan. 7, 1878, in Paris. French political figure of the republican and democratic movements; chemist and physician.

After settling in Paris in 1816, Raspail published a number of works in medicine and chemistry. He proposed methods of ashing in histological research. He also expressed his opposition to G. Cuvier’s views in paleontology.

Raspail took part in the revolution of July 1830. He was one of the representatives of the Société des Amis du Peuple. In 1834 and 1835 he edited the republican newspaper Le Réfor-mateur. He was imprisoned several times. During the revolution of 1848, Raspail was one of the leaders of the revolutionary democracy. He headed the delegation that convinced the Provisional Government to proclaim the Republic on Feb. 25, 1848. Raspail was imprisoned for leading and participating in the demonstration of May 15, 1848, against the reactionary policies of the Constituent Assembly. He remained incarcerated until 1854, when he went to live in exile in Belgium. During the presidential elections of Dec. 10, 1848, he was proposed as a candidate by the socialist clubs of Paris. Raspail was granted amnesty in 1859 and returned to France in 1863. In 1869 he was elected to the Corps Législatif as a deputy of the democratic opposition. While a member of the Chamber of Deputies in 1876, Raspail demanded amnesty for the participants in the Paris Commune.