Arsenic: The Revival of a Medicine from Antiquity

As part of the “Le Collège à la Bibliothèque” lecture series, Professor Hugues de Thé, holder of the Chair in Cellular and Molecular Oncology , will present a lecture titled “Arsenic: The Rebirth of a Medicine from Antiquity” on November 19, 2026, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Introduction

Arsenic was known to the Egyptians, not as a cosmetic powder, but as a medicine. Arsenic was also the main ingredient in Fowler’s solution, the standard treatment for syphilis in the 19^th century, although there was no tangible evidence of its clinical efficacy. Today, arsenic is used to treat a specific form of leukemia and cures the majority of patients. What are the historical origins and molecular basis of this miracle?

The lecture series is presented in partnership with Pour la Science magazine .