- Email: [email protected]
The investigation of difficult things — Essays on Newton and the history of the exact sciences
looks odd in a Cambridge book) by C. G. Bernhard, is a splendid account (drawn from his diaries and letters) of Berzelius’s impressions of scientists and other people from all strata of society encountered on his extensive travels. Often expressed in very blunt terms, these reveal Berzelius as a shrewd observer of humanity. W. A. Smeaton The Investigation of Difficult Things Essays on Newton and the History of the Exact Sciences. Edited by P. M. Harman and Alan E. Shapiro. Pp. 531. Cambridge University Press. 1992. Hardback f90.00 US $175.00. ISBN 0 52 137435 9. This Festschrift in honour “1-cn u. m I. “‘L’r--‘dWmLeblue 1s ‘a collection of essays b y his colleagues and pupils on a number of miscellaneous topics: the sale of Newton’s manuscripts in 1936, dating by watermarks, historical meanings of the word ‘mechanics’, some of Newton’s precursors, and later work on the stability of the solar system, leading towards chaos theory. The essays of most ir tterest to the general reader are probably those on inertia and absolute space. Newton was a philosopher, a mathematician, and an experimenter. Readers familiar with partial interpretation of theoretical terms in present-day physics will accept his distinction between the use of absolute space in mathematics and commitment to a measurable absolute space, bucket or no bucket. Plenty of problems remain, such as the historical question: what led Newton to ignore the vector nature of ‘motion’ (momentum) in his thought experiment on rotation in the last query in his Opticks? His ambiguous use of words such as ‘motion’ and ‘force’, his implicit and explicit religious views, and his partially explored views on alchemy justify calling Newton’s studies the investigation of difficult things. The contribution of this book to historiography is perhaps best exemplified by the discussion of the novel features of the Principia in the context of the reception of Newton’s work. H. R. Post Enjoying Organic Chemistry, 1927-1987. By Egbert Havinga. Autobiographies of Eminent Chemists. Series Editor Jeffrey I. Seeman. Pp. 122. American Chemical Society. 1992. Hardback US $24.95 ISBN 08412 17742. Another in this series of personal accounts by contemporary chemists is mostly devoted to a selfless description of the achievements of this Dutch author’s research students, who wrote no less than 166 theses. Continuing the van’t Hoff stereochemical tradition, and using dipole moment and electron diffraction measurements, they made early contributions to conformational analysis and its extension from homocyclic to heterocyclic systems. Again following the pioneering Reerink group at Philips laboratories, they achieved a thorough understanding of the extraordinary complexity of the photo-induced and thermal reactions of the vitamin D precursor, ergosterol, also structural elucidation of the many so-called supra- and toxi-sterols. A chance observation, while studying the hydrolysis of nitrophenyl phosphates, led to the discovery of
100
photo-induced (mainly nucleophilic) aromatic substitution. In the peptide field modification of disassociated fragments of ribonuclease shed light on the relationship of structure to enzymic activity. Most interesting for the general reader is the development of the organization of Dutch academic chemistry from the rigid prewar pattern, his comments on the strongly motivated 1945 students, and on the staffing and design of chemistry departments; Leiden’s laboratories were built during 1960-1968. Although he began at Utrecht with Kogl in 1927, and apparently enjoyed his first 20 years of chemistry in spite of the war, it was not until his professorship at Leiden in 1946 that his potential as a teacher and director of research was realized. Sadly, Havinga did not live to see this remarkably unselfish account published. E. R. H. Jones The Right Tools for the Job. Edited by A. E. Clarke and J. H. Fujimura. Pp. 365. Princeton University Press. 7992. Hardback f27.50, US $35.00 ISBN 0691 0857 7 In the same way that some anthropologists look at particular societies, so some workers look at the doings of scientists; for the life scientists concerned this might give some helpful insights into what they are doing, and for the rest of us it makes fascinating reading. Those writing the present volume have done so from the perspectives of sociology, history, and philosophy of science, largely for a meeting in 1989. The introduction makes clear that the book is about scientific practice (which is not immediately clea r from the title) - materials, techniques, inStN! merits, models, funding, work arrangements, and the like. ..l.^l^ Z* cmL. +I.LLlEi .WIIVIO) II :I,a ~~~~-~.T~C~J~. ~LJCLG;DJII One of its strengths is very full referencing and provision of explanatory notes, and another is fairlv - minima1 jargon. The background to such studies is well set out, while specific case studies are described. A multidisciplinary perspective on ‘doing science’ is provided, which will not be without interest to many actually engaged in doing it. Use of specific organisms is looked at, as for instance in Tri’bolium by Parks, and the rationale behind the plasmid preparation is explored. Manometers and Planaria figure, separately, as do agricultural genetics and field biology. An interesting history of taxidermy precedes one on the historical American need for standard methods in bacteriology - this last of much interest to the historian of medicine in its own right. A paper on the recurrent debate in immunology concludes a volume which may not be easy to read, but is rewarding when one has done so. Brian Bracegirdle Scientific Research in Early Chinese Glass. Edited by Robert H. Brill and John H. Martin. Pp. 224. The Corning Museum of Glass. 1997. Hardback $55.00 ISBN 0 87290 1262. Because of their high resistance to natural causes of decay, ceramic and glass artifacts -
along with those of stone - have a particular significance in studying the cultures and technologies of ancient civilizations. Of these, glass is quantitatively the least significant - for the output of the glass-maker never rivalled that of the potter - but it can nevertheless be very informative. In the Middle East and Europe glass first appeared around 1500 BC, and the associated technologies (manufacture, casting, blowing, colouring, and decoration), are now pretty well understood. By contrast, rather little is known about the history of glass technology in China, where until recently only a handful of scholars were interested in the subject. There was therefore, a particular interest in the Archaeometry of Glass symposium he Id in Beijing in 1984, as part of a wider symposium on glass. This brought together not only Chinese experts but counterparts elsewhere. Although a little belatedly published, by the Corning Museum of Glass, these proceedings are an interesting and useful addition to the literature, especially as the opportunity has been taken to include some more recent supplementary papers. As is to be expected, emphasis is laid on the chemical composition of artifacts, for which a wide range of analytical techniques are used. This throws light on methods of manufacture, sources, and distribution routes, applying of course both to indigenous articles and others imported into China. Most Chinese glass was lead glass, but many early glasses are surprisingly rich in barium. The volume is well illustrated in black-andwhite. Trevor
I. Williams
The Laboratory Revolution in Medicine. Edited by Andrew Cunningham and Perry Williams. Pp. 347. Cambridge University Press. 7992. Hardback f40.00, US $69.95 ISBN 0 52140484 3. It is a fairly modern focus of medical history that the laboratory took over from the hospital as prime mover of progress in medicine in the second half of the nineteenth century. Patients nowadays take it for granted that they will be subjected to a battery of tests to be carried out by scientists in white coats. A range and precision of tests undreamed of even 20 years ago are now the norm; how this began to come about is explored in this very useful book. An excellent preamble by the editors is followed by papers on the introduction of institutionalized research laboratories; specific institutes are considered as well, and the difficulties of convincing ordinary practitioners to accept the authority of the laboratory are vividly brought out. Vivisection is considered, as is the role of the laboratory in identifying infectious disease. A particularly stimulating paper deals with the emergence of the laboratory from an anthropological point of view, while another uses the perspective of the philosophy of science to suggest a new historiographical approach. The book is meticulously referenced, and will surely stimulate further work on the laboratory as a focus of progress. It should be read by all interested in medical history. Brian Bracegirdle
100
photo-induced (mainly nucleophilic) aromatic substitution. In the peptide field modification of disassociated fragments of ribonuclease shed light on the relationship of structure to enzymic activity. Most interesting for the general reader is the development of the organization of Dutch academic chemistry from the rigid prewar pattern, his comments on the strongly motivated 1945 students, and on the staffing and design of chemistry departments; Leiden’s laboratories were built during 1960-1968. Although he began at Utrecht with Kogl in 1927, and apparently enjoyed his first 20 years of chemistry in spite of the war, it was not until his professorship at Leiden in 1946 that his potential as a teacher and director of research was realized. Sadly, Havinga did not live to see this remarkably unselfish account published. E. R. H. Jones The Right Tools for the Job. Edited by A. E. Clarke and J. H. Fujimura. Pp. 365. Princeton University Press. 7992. Hardback f27.50, US $35.00 ISBN 0691 0857 7 In the same way that some anthropologists look at particular societies, so some workers look at the doings of scientists; for the life scientists concerned this might give some helpful insights into what they are doing, and for the rest of us it makes fascinating reading. Those writing the present volume have done so from the perspectives of sociology, history, and philosophy of science, largely for a meeting in 1989. The introduction makes clear that the book is about scientific practice (which is not immediately clea r from the title) - materials, techniques, inStN! merits, models, funding, work arrangements, and the like. ..l.^l^ Z* cmL. +I.LLlEi .WIIVIO) II :I,a ~~~~-~.T~C~J~. ~LJCLG;DJII One of its strengths is very full referencing and provision of explanatory notes, and another is fairlv - minima1 jargon. The background to such studies is well set out, while specific case studies are described. A multidisciplinary perspective on ‘doing science’ is provided, which will not be without interest to many actually engaged in doing it. Use of specific organisms is looked at, as for instance in Tri’bolium by Parks, and the rationale behind the plasmid preparation is explored. Manometers and Planaria figure, separately, as do agricultural genetics and field biology. An interesting history of taxidermy precedes one on the historical American need for standard methods in bacteriology - this last of much interest to the historian of medicine in its own right. A paper on the recurrent debate in immunology concludes a volume which may not be easy to read, but is rewarding when one has done so. Brian Bracegirdle Scientific Research in Early Chinese Glass. Edited by Robert H. Brill and John H. Martin. Pp. 224. The Corning Museum of Glass. 1997. Hardback $55.00 ISBN 0 87290 1262. Because of their high resistance to natural causes of decay, ceramic and glass artifacts -
along with those of stone - have a particular significance in studying the cultures and technologies of ancient civilizations. Of these, glass is quantitatively the least significant - for the output of the glass-maker never rivalled that of the potter - but it can nevertheless be very informative. In the Middle East and Europe glass first appeared around 1500 BC, and the associated technologies (manufacture, casting, blowing, colouring, and decoration), are now pretty well understood. By contrast, rather little is known about the history of glass technology in China, where until recently only a handful of scholars were interested in the subject. There was therefore, a particular interest in the Archaeometry of Glass symposium he Id in Beijing in 1984, as part of a wider symposium on glass. This brought together not only Chinese experts but counterparts elsewhere. Although a little belatedly published, by the Corning Museum of Glass, these proceedings are an interesting and useful addition to the literature, especially as the opportunity has been taken to include some more recent supplementary papers. As is to be expected, emphasis is laid on the chemical composition of artifacts, for which a wide range of analytical techniques are used. This throws light on methods of manufacture, sources, and distribution routes, applying of course both to indigenous articles and others imported into China. Most Chinese glass was lead glass, but many early glasses are surprisingly rich in barium. The volume is well illustrated in black-andwhite. Trevor
I. Williams
The Laboratory Revolution in Medicine. Edited by Andrew Cunningham and Perry Williams. Pp. 347. Cambridge University Press. 7992. Hardback f40.00, US $69.95 ISBN 0 52140484 3. It is a fairly modern focus of medical history that the laboratory took over from the hospital as prime mover of progress in medicine in the second half of the nineteenth century. Patients nowadays take it for granted that they will be subjected to a battery of tests to be carried out by scientists in white coats. A range and precision of tests undreamed of even 20 years ago are now the norm; how this began to come about is explored in this very useful book. An excellent preamble by the editors is followed by papers on the introduction of institutionalized research laboratories; specific institutes are considered as well, and the difficulties of convincing ordinary practitioners to accept the authority of the laboratory are vividly brought out. Vivisection is considered, as is the role of the laboratory in identifying infectious disease. A particularly stimulating paper deals with the emergence of the laboratory from an anthropological point of view, while another uses the perspective of the philosophy of science to suggest a new historiographical approach. The book is meticulously referenced, and will surely stimulate further work on the laboratory as a focus of progress. It should be read by all interested in medical history. Brian Bracegirdle