During the years of the French Revolution, Berthollet took part in the organization of a saltpeter production plant. Later, he followed Napoleon in his campaign in Egypt. Napoleon’s famous order “Donkeys and scholars in the middle!” referred to Berthollet and his colleagues: he wanted to save them from death. The emperor loaded him with honors, appointed him as a senator and conferred an earldom on him. Berthollet was the first one to use chlorine for whitening of paper and fabrics; he also made a few other discoveries, including Berthollet salt, a substance that was named after him.