Books offered by JF Ptak Science Books

JF Ptak Science Books 

Sklodowska Curie, "Les Rayons de Becquerel et le Polonium".  Full text, here. Pp 40-50. In: Revue Generale des Sciences Pures et Appliques, annee N^o2, 30 January 1899.  Original wrappers.  84pp.  This issue has been excised from a larger bound copy, in preparation for scanning.  Somewhat brittle, as is the case with this publication, being generally printed on unhappy paper.  $150 (priced so for condition issues)

Manuscript on the Physical Sciences, Franklin Institute, 1850's

JF Ptak Science Books

Manuscript lectures delivered by B. Howard Rand at the Franklin Institute, 1851-1853. 10x8 inches, approximately 245 pages, running approximately 45,000 words. Includes lectures on "Improved Heating and Ventilation" (48 pages), "Geology" (44 pages); "On the Action of Running Water", (15 pages); "Warming", 40 pages); "Ventilation" (48 pages); "Physical Manual", (50 pages). All are bound together, written on different stock, written seemingly by slightly varying hands from time to time, and brought together in a leather-backed paper covered board volume.  The pages are roughly cut, and the handwriting fast and untidy. 

During this time Rand [B(enjamin) Howard Rand, 1 Oct 1827 (Philadelphia) -14 Feb 1883] was a professor of chemistry at the Franklin Institute (1850-1853).  Previously:

• Graudate of Jefferson Medical College (1848)
• Clinical Assistant to Dr. Thomas Mutter and Dr. Joseph Pancost, 1846-1848
• Prof  Chemistry, Franklin Institute, 1850

And subsequently:

• Prof Chemistry, Philadelphia Medical College, 1853-4
• Philadelphia Academy of Natural Science, Secretary, 1853-1864
• Prof chemistry, Jefferson Medical College, 1864-1877
• Fellow of the Philadelphia College of Physicians 1853;  fellow of the American Philosophical Society 1868; and, besides membership in other societies, was connected with the American medical association
• Author: An Outline of Medical Chemistry (1855);  Elements of Medical Chemistry (1863)

It is an interesting collection of thinking on different subjects, and a peep into the life of the Franklin Institute and scientific dialog in Philadelphia in the mid-19th century. 

$2500

John Rigden.  MacMillan Encyclopedia of Physics.  New York:  MacMillan,  1996.  4 volumes  4to.  Cloth.  Very fine condition.   Perfectly fine set of interest and general all-round use. Quite handy  if you don't happen to own the massive AP set.  $250

Hopkinson,  Bertram.  The Scientific Papers of Bertram Hopkinson. 
Cambridge:  Cambridge University,  1921.  4to.  Cloth.  Very good condition.  Collected and arranged by Sir J. Alfred Ewing and Sir Joseph Larmor. Uncommon. $200

"Tall, of a commanding presence, with immense physical strength and  energy, with ripe engineering experience and great originality of mind…he  commanded respect and confidence in all those who worked with him." James Alfred  Ewing on Hopkinson Bertram Hopkinson was the eldest son of John Hopkinson who  had died so tragically in a mountaineering accident in 1898. Having read  mathematics at Trinity in 1893-96, Bertram trained as a patent lawyer until his  father's death at which point he decided to carry on his father's work in  engineering and technological education. He was only twenty-nine when the Chair  of Mechanism and Applied Mechanics became vacant at Cambridge, following Ewing's  resignation in 1903. He applied and was appointed, having already a considerable  professional reputation.  

Albert Einstein.  Geometrie und Erfahrun.  Berlin:  Julius Springer,  1921.  1st edition.  20  8vo.  Paper wrappers. Very good condition. 
First Edition. Weil 115. From the Dictionary of Scientific Biography, vol 4, p 330:

"During these years Einstein was also concerned to clarify misconceptions about  the theory of relativity and to present his views on natural sciences on a less  abstract level. Among his efforts in this direction, one particularly beautiful  lecture must be mentioned. In 1921, at the Prussian Academy's commemorative  session honoring Frederick the Great, Einstein delivered a lecture on geometry  and experience in which he summed up his views on the geometrization of physics  and relativity and the relation of mathematics to the external world. Here he
gave his famous answer to the puzzling question of why mathematics should be so  well adapted to describing the external world: 'Insofar as the Laws of  Mathematics refer to the external world, they are not certain; and insofar as
they are certain, they do not refer to reality'"  $275

Karl T. Compton.  The Theory of Ionization by Collision.  I.  Distribution of teh Velocity of teh Electrons. Pp 489-496. In: Physical Review, vol VII, number 4, April 1916.  Original wrappers.  Good, soild copy. 

With: 

"The Theory of Ionization by Collision II. Case of Inelastic Impact". Pp 501-508.

Bound with:

"The Theory of Ionization by Collision III: Case of Elastic Impact". Pp 509-518.  Both in Physical Review, Vol VII, number 5, May 1916.  Original wrappers.  Good copy. 

Uncommon together and in the original wrappers.  $225

A Very Early Publication on the Experimental Proof of Nuclear Fission, January 1939

F. Joliot.  "Preuve experimentale  de la rupture explosive des noyaux d'uranium et de throium sous l'action des neutrons".  Pp 341-343.  With: Irene Curie.  "Sur les radioelements formes dans l'uranium et le thorium irradies par les neutrons".  Pp 343-346.  Same issue.  Comptes Rendus, volume 208 No 5, 30 January 1939. 

Offered with:  

F. Joliot.  "Observation par la methode de Wilson des trajectoires de brouillard des prodits de l'explosions des royaux  d'uranium".  pp 647-649. Comptes Rendus, 27 Feb 1939. Vol 208.

Both issues from the  US Weather Bureau library, removed from a larger bound volume.   Good copies.  $750, the pair 

Ruth Sime's book on Lise Meitner points out that Joliot is the first to publication here even though Frisch's experiment was conducted a week or so earlier--his note to Nature didn't appear until18 Feb 1939  (Nature 143, 1939, 276).  She references the second Joliot paper as well.

Hans Reichenbach. "Ueber die physikalischen Konsequenzen der relativistischen Axiomatik". Berlin, Julius Springer: 1925.  Pp 32-48. Original printed wrappers.  Offprint: Zeitschrift fur Physik, 34/1.  Very good signed presentation copy to Hans Reissner.  $150  Classic work by Reichenbach. 

Isidor I. Rabi.  The Atomic Nucleus.  ("One of a Series, Delivered by American Scietnists, on the New York Philharmonic-Symphony Program")  Service Through Science.  Offprint. Original printed wrappers.  Very nice copy, this being the copyright deposit copy.  $45

Erwin Schroedinger.  "What is Matter?"  (The wave-particle dualism afflicting modern physics is best resolved in favor of waves, believes te author, but there is no clear pictur eof matter on which physicists can agree).Offprint:  Scientific American. September 1953.  Beautifully written, and with lovely illustrations.  11x8 inches, 7pp.  Fine copy.  $75