Person

Marcet, Alexander John Gaspard

• Marcet, Alexander

1770-1822

Alexander John Gaspard Marcet, who is most commonly known as Alexander Marcet, was a physician-chemist born in Geneva, Switzerland in 1770. He went to Edinburgh in 1794 and graduated with doctor of medicine from Edinburgh University on June 24, 1797. After graduation he went to London where he was admitted a Licentiate of the College of Physicians in 1799. In 1804 he became a physician at Guy’s Hospital, where he lectured on chemistry between 1805 and 1819. In 1809, after having volunteered his services on behalf of the troops, he was appointed temporary charge of the military hospital at Portsmouth for several months. He then returned to London and his previous position at Guy’s Hospital until 1819, at which point he returned to Geneva. After the death of his father-in-law, Marcet inherited a substantial sum of money which he used in order to focus on science and literature. He returned to Great Britain for a brief visit in 1821 which resulted in him contracting gout in the stomach. He died in London on October 19, 1822, aged 52.