▁interested ▁in ▁air ▁quality ▁and ▁spent ▁some ▁time ▁studying ▁the ▁health ▁ris ks ▁associated ▁with ▁gun pow der ' s ▁effect ▁on ▁the ▁air . ▁In ▁ 1 7 7 2 , ▁he ▁performed ▁a ▁study ▁on ▁how ▁to ▁re construct ▁the ▁H ôtel - D ieu ▁hospital , ▁after ▁it ▁had ▁been ▁dam aged ▁by ▁fire , ▁in ▁a ▁way ▁that ▁would ▁allow ▁proper ▁vent ilation ▁and ▁clean ▁air ▁throughout . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁the ▁pr isons ▁in ▁Paris ▁were ▁known ▁to ▁be ▁largely ▁un liv able ▁and ▁the ▁prisoners ' ▁treatment ▁in hum ane . ▁Lav ois ier ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁investig ations ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 0 ▁( and ▁again ▁in ▁ 1 7 9 1 ) ▁on ▁the ▁h yg iene ▁in ▁pr isons ▁and ▁had ▁made ▁suggestions ▁to ▁improve ▁living ▁conditions , ▁suggestions ▁which ▁were ▁largely ▁ignored . ▁ ▁Once ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Academy , ▁Lav ois ier ▁also ▁held ▁his ▁own ▁compet itions ▁to ▁push ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁research ▁towards ▁better ing ▁the ▁public ▁and ▁his ▁own ▁work . ▁One ▁such ▁project ▁he ▁proposed ▁in ▁ 1 7 9 3 ▁was ▁to ▁better ▁public ▁health ▁on ▁the ▁" ins al ub ri ous ▁arts ". ▁ ▁Sp ons or ship ▁of ▁the ▁sciences ▁Lav ois ier ▁had ▁a ▁vision ▁of ▁public ▁education ▁having ▁roots ▁in ▁" s cient ific ▁soci ability " ▁and ▁phil anth ropy . ▁ ▁Lav ois ier ▁gained ▁a ▁vast ▁majority ▁of ▁his ▁income ▁through ▁bu ying ▁stock ▁in