Manuscript Highlighting Achievements of France’s Great Pharmacist, Pierre-Irenee Jacob

On offer is a fascinating and brief description of one of France’s great Pharmacists in the Napoleonic Wars, Pierre-Irenee Jacob. This manuscript appears to be an excerpt of a larger document.

The author of the document is unknown. The subject however, is not. Pierre-Irenee Jacob was born in Metz, June 27, 1782, he served 10 years in Napoleon’s Grande Armée. He crossed Europe from Paris to the army of the Coasts, from Prussia to Madrid, from Saxony to Bérézina, from Jena to Warsaw, on foot very often or in a cart. He was captured twice, was victim of an ambush in Spain and was a miraculous survivor of the retreat from Russia "the march of misery" in which only 10,000 men out of 442,000 survived. He kept a detailed journal of his experiences titled Les Carnets de Route de Pierre Irénée Jacob (The Logbooks of Pierre Irénée Jacob). 

This document may be the beginning of a recounting of his experiences or it may be part of a recommendation for a position or honour. The document says, in full:

La France, patrie de ses ancetres, etait devenue le theatre de plus belles decouvertes en chimie, il resolut de s'y rendu pour y acquerir des nouvelles connaisances . Peu apres son arrivess en 1795 il fut force par les circonstances de temp a servir aux armees en qualite de Pharmacien . Il a suivi cette nouvelle carriere sans interrution avec les armees en Italie, en Holland, en Allemagne, en des payes de Russie. En 1808, il fut nomme Pharmacien en chef des armees. Il fut charge en 1811 de faire un inspection generale dans tous les hospitaux militaires de France. Il fut nomine en 1812 Pharmacien en chef de l'armee de Russie et Chevalier de l'ordre de la Reunion, etait prisonniere a Leipzig en 1814. Il fut nomine Inspecteur general de service de sante militaire [de] sa Majesté

[Translation: France, the homeland of his ancestors, had become the theatre of the most beautiful discoveries in chemistry. He decided to go to acquire new knowledge. Shortly after his arrival in 1795 he was forced by the circumstances of the time to serve in the army as a pharmacist. He followed this new career without interruption with the armies in Italy, Holland, Germany and Russia. In 1808 he was appointed Chief Pharmacist of the army. In 1811 he was charged to make a general inspection in all the military hospitals of France. He was nominated in 1812 Chief Pharmacist of the Russian Army and Knight of the Order of the Reunion. He was a prisoner in Leipzig in 1814. He was appointed Inspector General of Military Health Service [of] His Majesty].

For a historian, this is a superb opportunity to acquire a document that directly references a man in whom Napoleon Bonaparte placed a great deal of trust and responsibility. It would be an excellent addition to a library or collection, especially on focused on the Napoleonic Wars. For a medical professional, it would be a fine addition to a collection or library

This one-page document appears to be a portion of a longer document. It measures 9.5 inches by 7.5 inches. It is written on one-side only. The page shows some slight discolouration and wear around the edges. Written in French, the handwriting is very legible.