Manuel Vargas Machuca González del Valle

Cuban pharmacist and chemist who made contributions to the study of the composition of potassium permanganate.

He studied at the Real y Pontificia Universidad de San Gerónimo de La Habana, where he obtained the degree of bachelor in Philosophy (1852), and bachelor in Pharmacy (1856). Subsequently he traveled to Madrid, where he pursued a doctorate in Pharmacy; later he moved to París, where he resided for six years.

He worked in the Laboratory of the School of Medicine of París under the direction of Carlos Adolfo Wurtz, and made his contributions known in El Eco de París and in the Comptes Rendos, of the Academy of Sciences of París.

From 1865 onwards he served as auxiliary professor for the subject of Organic Chemistry; interim professor and full professor of the same subject. He held the position of vice-secretary of the Faculty of Pharmacy and was part of the management of the Repertorio de Farmacia.

He died in La Habana on August 2, 1886.

Among his works concerning the composition of potassium permanganate, his memoirs on the transformation of potassium permanganate, and on the transformation of propionic acid into lactic acid, and an observation regarding the action of ammonia on monobromobutyric, dibromobutyric and dibromopropionic acids were of special significance.

These works, written in French and published in France, were cited by Carlos A. Wurtz in his Dictionary of Chemists, in which he highlighted the merits of the Cuban scientist.

In Spain and France he served as corresponding member of the College of Pharmacists of Madrid and member of the Society of Chemistry of París, respectively; in Cuba he was a full member of the Real Sociedad Económica de Amigos del País de La Habana, member of merit of the Círculo de Hacendados, as well as vocal of the Superior Board of Health.

Source: EnCaribe.org