# Futuristic Medicine: Albert Robida’s Vision in 19th Century Sci-Fi
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Chapter 1: The Resurrection of Extinct Species
In this episode, the narrator describes a mad scientist who brings an extinct species back to life using a fossil. Legend has it that Sulfatin, the assistant to Philox, was created through mysterious methods. Robida’s insights draw on the scientific advancements of his time, particularly in genetics. In 1869, Swiss scientist Friedrich Miescher isolated a phosphorus-rich substance from cell nuclei, which he named nuclein. Fast forward to 1889, and German researcher Richard Altmann successfully extracted proteins and an acidic compound known as nucleic acid from nuclein. Following this, in 1896, Albrecht Kossel identified the four nitrogenous bases—adenine, cytosine, thymine, and guanine—in nucleic acid. By 1928, Phoebus Levene and Jacob Lunn in the USA pinpointed deoxyribose, leading to the term deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in 1935. In 1944, Oswald Avery revealed that DNA was crucial for bacterial genetic transformation and served as the hereditary material. We will revisit genetics in more detail in "La Vie Electrique."
For those who may be new, this marks the third installment in my exploration of Albert Robida, recognized as a pioneer of French steampunk alongside Jules Verne. I encourage you to follow along for future updates.
Section 1.1: The Grand Médicament National
Philox introduces the “Grand Médicament National,” an all-encompassing drug intended to cure nearly every ailment. Its usage would be mandatory and subject to a fee. Although the vision appears cynical, it mirrors certain realities today, where pharmaceutical companies, closely allied with government entities, exploit public fear of new epidemics to promote unproven vaccines.
Note: This piece was originally written in 2012/2013 and does not necessarily reflect the author's views on the management of the SARS-COV-2 pandemic in 2020.
Subsection 1.1.1: Societal Implications
The Grand Médicament National addresses an urgent societal need. Robida's depiction of 1950s society reveals a populace beset by illness, weakened by labor and the toxic emissions from rampant industrialization. Philox acknowledges, “Alas […] modern science is somewhat responsible for the poor state of general health; the hasty, inflamed, horribly busy and enervated existence, the electric life, we must admit, has overworked the race and produced a kind of universal slump.” The deterioration of public health is attributed to both overwork and pollution, intricately linked to industrial progress.
Section 1.2: Looking Ahead to Industry’s Future
In our next episode, we will delve into Robida’s perspective on the future of industry.
Chapter 2: A Shorter Episode with More to Come
This installment may be brief, but be assured that more engaging content is on the horizon.
Additionally, I recently launched a KOFI account for those who wish to support my work directly. Contributors will gain the opportunity to vote on future topics and receive PDF versions of my articles. For top contributors, there’s also a chance to suggest themes for future publications. Potential topics include “Is Warhammer Catholic or Woke?” and “Is Harry Potter a Nazi utopia?” On a more serious note, I'm considering exploring medieval craft techniques, combat during the Hundred Years’ War, and the total art form of Visual Kei. I might even tackle the question of God’s existence (spoiler alert: I have an answer).