1872-1949

French pharmacist who developed the first successful substitute for the active anesthetic ingredient of cocaine. Fourneau was one of many doctors looking for a substitute for the addictive drug cocaine, and in 1904 he discovered stovaine. For 30 years Fourneau was the head of chemical laboratories at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, and he was successful in developing new chemical compounds to fight specific pathogenic organisms. Fourneau's research led to better treatment for syphilis and paved the way for the development of sulfonamide drugs and antihistamines.