The Secret of Life by Frederick Misher

In 18 68, at aged 24, frederick misher starts working in a natural science institute. The lab is roomy with vaulted ceilings, but with tiny windows that don't let in much light. Misher once said the gloom reminded him of a mediaeval alchemist's lair. A colleague once described him as driven by a demon and another commented that the impression he gave was of a person completely taken up by his mental activity without contact with the outer world.