Alexis Carrel was born June 28, 1873. He was the son of Alexis Carrel and Anne Ricard. He attended school at St. Joseph’s School in Lyons, France. In 1889, he received a Bachelor’s of Letters at the University of Lyons, in 1890, a Bachelor’s of Science, and in 1900, a Doctor's degree. His medical work was continued at Lyons Hospital. At the University of Lyons, he taught Anatomy and Operative Surgery. Alexis Carrel was known as the “scientific messiah” of his time. He had performed the first coronary bypass surgery and developed methods for transplanting organs. The one thing he is well known for is the sliver of chicken-heart tissue he grew in culture. These cells were a scientific phenomena! They kept on beating even though they were no longer in the chicken’s body. In 1912, these contributions to science had won him the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
Carrel also served as a Major in the French Army Medical Corps from 1914-1919. During that time, he developed new ways for treating battle wounds, which are used even today. He wrote a number of books including: The Culture of Organs, Man, The Unknown, and a book on Treatment of Infected Wounds. Alexis Carrel was a huge celebrity by this time. Headlines on news reports read; “Carrel’s new miracle points way to avert old age!” “Scientists grow immortal chicken heart”, “Death perhaps not inevitable”. After receiving all this attention, Carrel took the road of infamy by claiming that he was a eugenicist and his work was all thanks to Hitler. He said that his life’s work was just ways he developed to preserve the “superior white race.” Carrel believed that only people who were worthy of life, were to be given it; others would be sterilized or killed. Years later, Carrel’s “immortal” chicken heart was proven to be a fake because the cells could only divide a finite number of times. The reason why it stayed alive was that he kept feeding it with new cells and they were substituting the dying ones.
Carrel also served as a Major in the French Army Medical Corps from 1914-1919. During that time, he developed new ways for treating battle wounds, which are used even today. He wrote a number of books including: The Culture of Organs, Man, The Unknown, and a book on Treatment of Infected Wounds. Alexis Carrel was a huge celebrity by this time. Headlines on news reports read; “Carrel’s new miracle points way to avert old age!” “Scientists grow immortal chicken heart”, “Death perhaps not inevitable”. After receiving all this attention, Carrel took the road of infamy by claiming that he was a eugenicist and his work was all thanks to Hitler. He said that his life’s work was just ways he developed to preserve the “superior white race.” Carrel believed that only people who were worthy of life, were to be given it; others would be sterilized or killed. Years later, Carrel’s “immortal” chicken heart was proven to be a fake because the cells could only divide a finite number of times. The reason why it stayed alive was that he kept feeding it with new cells and they were substituting the dying ones.
