The German chemist Emil Fischer (1852-1919), perhaps the greatest of the organic chemists, is known for his work in the study of pure sugars and proteins.

Emil Fischer was born at Euskirchen, Prussia, on Oct. 9, 1852. After studying chemistry at the University of Bonn for a short time, he transferred to the University of Strassburg and received a doctoral degree in 1874. Fischer moved to Munich that year and spent 8 productive years there. He then went to Erlangen (1882) and to Würzburg (1885) and finished his career as professor of chemistry at the University of Berlin (1892).

Studies of Pure Sugars

Of the many natural products available for man's use, perhaps no group is so important as the carbohydrates. Until 1884, however, no exact scientific study of the carbohydrates had been undertaken, and little was known concerning their chemical constitution or the arrangement of their molecules. Between 1884 and 1900 Fischer successfully determined the...