Jules Lefèvre | |
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.png) Lefèvre in his laboratory, 1939. | |
| Born | 1863 (1863) France |
| Died | May 1944 (aged 80–81) France |
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Jules Lefèvre (1863 – May 1944)[1] was a French biochemist and writer. He was for his work inbioenergetics,thermoregulation, and nutrition. His research in bioenergetics, particularly his 1911 publicationChaleur animale et bioénergétique("Animal Heat and Bioenergetics"), contributed to early understandings of metabolic heat production, body heat exchange, and the physiological mechanisms involved in thermoregulation. He also authored theTraité de Bioénergétique ("Treatise on Bioenergetics") in 1911, one of the first comprehensive works on the emerging field of bioenergetics.
Lefèvre's work extended beyond bioenergetics to include topics related tovegetarianism. In 1904, he publishedExamen scientifique du végétarisme("A Scientific Investigation into Vegetarianism"), which explored vegetarianism from a scientific, nutritional, and physiological perspective and introduced the termvégétalisme to describe avegan diet.
Throughout his career, Lefèvre received several awards for his contributions to science, including the Laborde Prix (1894), the Montyon Prix for experimental physiology (1905), Petit-d'Ormoy and Mallanet Prix (1913), and the Grand Prix Albert de Monaco (1939). In 1923, he was awarded one of the three rosettes of theLegion of Honour in recognition of his scientific work.
Lefèvre studied at theÉcole Normale Supérieure from 1884 to 1887 and at theMuséum national d'histoire naturelle from 1887 to 1888. During this period, he earned triple degrees in mathematics, physics, and chemistry, as well as natural sciences, between 1885 and 1887.[2]
Lefèvre was appointedagrégé in natural sciences in 1888, working as professor of biology at the Lycée du Havre until 1928.[2][3] Afterward, he continued teaching biology in several private institutions, including Stanislas and Sainte-Croix.[2]
Lefèvre also designed and supervised the creation of abioenergetics laboratory between 1923 and 1927, which became a significant tool for studying nutrition and metabolism in both humans and animals. His laboratory was considered more advanced in flexibility and precision compared to earlier models, such as the calorimeter chamber ofAtwater andBenedict.[2]
Lefèvre has been described as the "father of bioenergetics".[4] His research on animal energetics began in 1893 and led to over a hundred communications and forty original papers published in prominent scientific journals. His 1911Treatise on Bioenergetics was the first to define the science of the "animal machine", a term he introduced. In 1929, he further developed this field in Volume VIII of hisTraité de physiologie normale et pathologique ("Treatise on Normal and Pathological Physiology").[2]
Lefèvre conducted research onhuman thermoregulation using calorimetric techniques. Continuing earlier work by Bordier, he studied how the thermal conductivity of the skin changes with ambient temperature, observing that the outer layers of skin reduce conductivity in cold conditions, while deeper layers continue to receive thermal energy. In 1901, he reported that heat loss at 5 °C, due to internal skin warming, could be two to three times greater than predicted byNewton's law. His 1911 publicationChaleur animale et bioénergétique ("Animal heat and bioenergetics"), included detailed information on bioenergetics, body heat exchange, and metabolic heat production during rest and physical activity. Lefèvre also described the use of ergometers and methods for direct and indirect calorimetry, and examined the effects of clothing and circadian temperature variations in night workers.[5]
Lefèvre's research focused on the mechanisms of thermoregulation, heat loss, and thermogenesis in mammals. He contributed to resolving debates regarding the role of heat in biological systems, demonstrating that heat production in organisms serves both as a byproduct of metabolic activity and as an essential function for maintaining constant core temperature, particularly in homeothermic animals. His work also established a relationship between heat loss and ambient temperature, showing that heat production accelerates as environmental temperature decreases.[2]
In 1904, Lefèvre publishedExamen scientifique du végétarisme by theFrench Vegetarian Society; he was elected to the Society's management committee in 1905, along withJules Grand.[6] A revised edition of the book was published in 1919.[7] An authorised English translation was published in 1923 by Fred Rothwell, asA Scientific Investigation into Vegetarianism.[8]
The book explores vegetarianism from scientific, historical, physiological, and social perspectives. It begins with a historical overview of vegetarianism, including movements in various countries and key figures likeJean-Antoine Gleizes. The second section examines the physiological basis of vegetarian doctrines, covering nutrition, food composition, and critiques of flesh-eating diets. It discusses alternative dietary systems such asfruitarianism andveganism (termedvégétalisme), and analyzes human dietary needs from a biological and anatomical standpoint. Additional chapters address the role of diet in illness, social and economic aspects of food systems, human energy and nutrition, and the body's thermal regulation in relation to diet.[8]
Lefèvre presented arguments regarding human anatomy, the health impacts of meat consumption, and its potential role in promoting behaviors such as alcohol and drug use. He suggested that the high nitrogen content in meat could disrupt intestinal health and possibly contribute to kidney failure, while providing limited energy. According to Lefèvre, plant-based glucose, particularly from fruit, was a more efficient source of energy, especially for athletes. His perspective included detailed scientific explanations of energy transformation, from sunlight through plants to humans. While his views did not heavily rely on religious or metaphysical reasoning, he implied a natural order in this process. Additionally, Lefèvre argued that vegetarianism could reduce class conflict and encourage a return to rural living. He also believed that meat consumption could encourage violent behaviors, presenting vegetarianism as a countermeasure to societal decline and regression.[9]
Lefèvre received several significant awards throughout his career. These included the Laborde Prix in 1894, the Montyon Prix for experimental physiology in 1905, the Pourat Prix in 1908, and the Petit-d'Ormoy and Mallanet Prix in 1913. In 1923, Hhe was also designated to receive one of the three rosettes of theLegion of Honor in recognition of his scientific contributions. In 1939, he was awarded the Grand Prix Albert de Monaco, receiving 61 out of 63 votes.[4]
Lefèvre was the father of Abbé Luc-J. Lefèvre, who later founded the traditionalist journalLa Pensée catholique.[10]
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