JOSÉ ANTONIO ALZATE: BIOGRAPHY, CONTRIBUTIONS AND INVENTIONS, WORKS - ARTE - 2025

José Antonio Alzate (1737-1799) was a Mexican priest recognized throughout the world as an important scholar and polymath. It was called this way because of its great curiosity to know and study about different topics of human knowledge. He was credited with the invention of the float, present in toilets today.

It was even said that he served in more than ten different roles, as he was a scientist, literature critic, essayist, philosopher, historian, teacher, journalist, priest, technologist, and translator.

Source: S. Hernandez, via Wikimedia Commons.

Alzate, considered a genius in his day, gained much of his fame for having studied hydraulic machines. His knowledge in this area allowed him to create the first automatic shutter present in restrooms (toilets). An invention that had a great importance for the world, since it has served to save significant amounts of liters of water every day.

Biography

On November 21, 1737, José Antonio de Alzate y Ramírez was born. He was originally from the state of Mexico, more specifically from Ozumba. He dedicated himself to multiple areas of knowledge, which he was able to acquire thanks to the good economic situation of his family.

With only 10 years he managed to be part of the old school of San Ildefonso, converted for several years into a museum. Later he entered the Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico, created in 1551. This step was taken by Alzate motivated by the need to generate progress in New Spain. Finally he obtained two degrees, the Bachelor of Arts and theology.

The fact that he carried out an ecclesiastical career was not in vain, since during that stage of the history of Mexico, the members of the clergy (priests, bishops or monks) or those who were part of the government were those who could enjoy knowledge and knowledge. advances of the time.

He died at the age of 62, in 1799, and his remains were buried in the Convent of La Merced, located in Mexico City.

Contributions and inventions

Love of information

Alzate's extensive knowledge allowed him to excel in different areas. In 1768 he was commissioned to found a literary newspaper in Mexico. The objective of this publication was to publicize the news in the scientific area that were being produced in Europe.

Alzate focused on choosing news that had to do with agriculture, medicine or botany, among others. It was always in his mind that the published information could be used by readers.

He also used the literary journal to display his own works. He was in charge of translating many of the scientific advances into Spanish, since most were published in Greek or Latin.

Some of the topics that Alzate touched on in this publication were the cultivation of cocoa, pocket watches or movements on the earth.

In the case of cocoa cultivation, he explained the benefits of this activity, especially in the south of the country where there was fertile land for this practice.

He highlighted the accuracy of pocket watches, outlining the differences that existed with pendulum clocks and how to know if the times they marked were true.

Regarding earthquakes, very common in Mexico, he explained that there are some signs before the earthquakes occur, but that being so close to the movement of the earth it is impossible to take previous measures.

Automatic float

José Antonio Alzate's most important invention had to do with the invention of the automatic float that is currently in the toilet tank. It was a small ball that was coupled to a system that cut off the water circulation when it reached a certain level.

The importance of this float was that it prevented the water from overflowing and, therefore, from being wasted. A technology that with the passage of time was improving and being more effective.

Alzate spoke about his invention in the Mexican literature journal, specifically in the second volume published in 1790. His motivation was born from having seen how the city's fountains received more water than necessary, which caused the vital liquid to spill.

Before Alzate had the idea of ​​using a float, families with financial means delegated the task of opening and closing the water to a servant. This task was very impractical.

Meteorological and atmospheric notes

He witnessed and wrote about the Northern Lights that were seen in Mexico City in 1789. Along with Antonio León and José Francisco Dimas, Alzate discussed the roots and properties of this phenomenon, which was something unknown in Mexico.

Discussions between the three authors focused on the height at which these auroras occurred. They questioned whether or not the phenomenon occurred within the atmosphere. These debates served to know the level of knowledge in Mexico during that time, especially in the area of ​​physics.

Plays

Alzate's works were multiple, since he was a man who was interested in different areas and facets of the time.

One could highlight the Ecclesiastical Atlas of the Archbishopric of Mexico that he published in 1767. It was a paper manuscript that included geographical maps. It had the peculiarity that the pages were numbered in Arabic numerals, that the front cover had baroque characteristics and that the maps were drawn in pen.

That same year he published a project to remove the water present in Lake Texcoco. Then he wanted to repeat the experience in the Chalco and San Cristóbal lagoons. He also wrote about windmills, the distribution of water or the toxic gases found in the mines.

He published Observations on Physics, Natural History and Useful Arts, a work of which it is not known exactly what year it was written.

Roles

During his life, José Alzate played multiple roles. He dealt with subjects from the scientific point of view, he was a critic of literature, he was considered an essayist, philosopher, historian, teacher, journalist, translator, priest and technologist.

Philosopher and teacher

As a philosopher he made important analyzes of life. While as a historian he was characterized by having great interest in the past of Mexico, something that can be corroborated in his manuscript Description of the antiquities of Xochicalco (1791).

He did not teach any subject or class, but he was still considered a teacher, since he had a great need to transmit the scientific knowledge that came from Europe.

Journalist, literary critic, historian and

When he worked as an essayist, he used language in the simplest way possible, thereby wanting to transmit his knowledge to the largest number of readers.

He was a journalist and had a fairly complete role for his time. He sustained his constant publications with his own money. In addition, he participated in the writing of many works present in the literary newspaper of Mexico.

Literary criticism was one of the jobs he did that went unnoticed. When he gave his opinion, he was characterized by being very harsh, especially when he believed that the works were destined not to be successful.

Technologist and c

As a scientist he stood out for delving into subjects of his interest and carried out some research. Playing his role as a technologist, he placed great emphasis on promoting science to be applied. His most important milestone was the invention of the toilet float. He also participated in the creation of the lightning rod and a hexagonal-shaped lamp.

Translator

He worked as a translator because of his ambition for Mexico to enjoy the knowledge that was in Europe. He was able to translate texts and works in Latin, French and English. All because of the concern I had that the information be accessible to as many people as possible.

Priest

Finally, there was his exercise as a priest. It was the only role he played after receiving a formal education. However, his work focused on being a visiting priest in the time of New Spain.

Recognitions

José Alzate was part of the Royal Basque Society of Friends of the Country, being part of it since 1773. He was also a member of the Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid, an institution dedicated to research in the area of ​​science.

By 1771 he was already part of the Academy of Sciences in Paris, an institution where he served for a long time as a correspondent. Among his duties was to submit works on natural history, geography or astronomy.

His role in disseminating all scientific information in Mexico was vital for the development of the country. In 1884, more than 80 years after his death, the Antonio Alzate Scientific Society was founded. Years later, in 1930, the institution changed its name to the Antonio Alzate National Academy of Sciences.

References

1. Alzate and Ramírez, J., & Hernández Luna, J. (1945). José Antonio Alzate. Mexico: Secretariat of public education.
2. Franco Bagnouls, M. (2004). Hispanic American literature. Mexico DF: Limusa.
3. Autonomous Mexico State University. (1999). José Antonio Alzate y Ramírez: tribute on the bicentennial of his death. Mexico.
4. Moreno, R., Durán Amavizca, N., & Magallón Anaya, M. (2000). The philosophy of the illustration in Mexico and other writings. Mexico: Fac. De Filosofia y Letras, Univ. Nacional Autónoma de México.
5. Rojas Rabiela, T. (2000). José Antonio Alzate and Mexican science. Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico: Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Institute of Historical Research.