Louis Melsens

In medical circles he became internationally famous for his research on oral administration of potassium iodide as a cure for mercury or lead poisoning.

He studied ancient languages, as well as English, German and Italian, and began his career in the offices of a commercial firm in Antwerp, with the Josson brothers.

On the advice of his mother and his fellow student Jean Servais Stas, he went to Paris to study chemistry and physics in Jean-Baptiste Dumas's private laboratory.

As early as 1843, he collaborated with Natalis Guillot on the curative properties of potassium iodide administered to people suffering from lead or mercury poisoning,[2] for which in 1877 he was awarded the Guinard Prize by the Royal Academy of Belgium, given to the scientist who has written the best work or created the best invention to improve the material or intellectual position of the working class.

[3] He also carried out research on lightning rods and invented an improved version of Benjamin Franklin's original design.