‎Chemistry‎

‎"CHENEVIX, RICHARD. - A PAPER CAUSING A SCANDAL.‎

‎Enquiries concerning the Nature of a metallic Substance lately sold in London, as a new Metal, under the Title of Palladium. read May 12, 1803.‎

‎(London, W. Bulmer and Co., 1803). 4to. No wrappers as extracted from ""Philosophical Transactions"" 1803 - Part II. Pp.290-320. A few faint brownspots to margins.‎

‎First printing of this controversial paper in the history of chemistry.""In 1803 an anonymous handbill was circulated among British scientists. It announced the isolation of a new chemical element, palladium or ""new silver"", and offered the metal for sale. Chenevix, believing the announcement to be a fraud, purchased the whole stock. He set about analyzing it with the preconceived notion that it was an alloy of platinum and mercury. After a series of laborious experiments, he concluded that palladium was in fact an amalgam of platinum made in some peculier way. His report to the Royal Society (the paper offered) caused a sensation. Not long after, Wollaston read to the society a paper in which he declared himself the author of the handbill and the discoverer of two new elements in crude platinum ore - namely, palladium and rhodium. About 1804, with his scientific reputation badly damaged, Chenevix left England and went to France, where he lived for the remainder of his life.""(DSB III, p. 232).A paper by Thomas Andrew Knight is printed together with Chenevix' paper: ""Account of some Experiments on the Sescent of the Sap in Trees."", pp. 277-289 a. 1 engraved plate.‎

Bookseller reference : 42943

‎"(PROUT, WILLIAM). - ""PRIMA MATERIA"" FOUND - PROUT'S HYPOTHESIS.‎

‎On the Relation between the Specific Gravities of Bodies in their Gaseous State and the Weight of their Atoms.‎

‎London, Baldwin, Cradock, and Joy, 1815. 8vo. No wrappers as extracted from ""Annals of Philosophy...by Thomas Thomson"", Vol. VI, July to December, 1815. Titlepage to vol. VI a. pp. (321-)330 incl. 3 tables. Titlepage with a few brownspots.‎

‎First appearance of a milestone-paper in the history of chemistry and atomic theory as Prout here set forth - coupled with experimental evidences - the theory that the elements seems to have atomic weights that are whole number multiples of the atomic weight of hydrogen and that all elements is in some way a combination of hydrogen atoms. The theory announced here in Prout's first paper on the subjecy, is called PROUT'S HYPOTHESIS, and it was ""not until the twentieth century that new views of the atom, arising out of the Second Scientific revolution of the 1890s, revitalized the notion. As a result of the work of Soddy and Aston a new form of Prout's hypothesis was established and Prout was found to be not wrong, but merely a century premature.""(Asimov).""The concept of a primary substance as the basis of all matter has a tempting simplicity which has appealed to thinkers from the classic Greek age to our own day. The idea was revived in a new garb in 1815-1816 by a London physician, Willia Prout, who observed that with few exceptions the specific gravities of elementary gases (i.e., their atomic weight) were evenmultiples of of that of hydrogen. The experimental errors in the data then available were such asto make the hypothesis appear plausible. Prout concluded, therefore, that hydrogen isthe fundamental constituent from which all other elements are compounded....... his idea that all matter is composed of tyhe same material is now established.""(Leicester & Klickstein in ""A Source Book in Chemistry 1400-1900"", p. 275 ff.). - See also note to PMM 407, entry Moseley The Atomic Table.‎

Bookseller reference : 42993

‎"POTT, JOHANN HEINRICH.‎

‎Examen Chymique de la Nature de sel Acide volatil de L'Ambre. Traduit de Allemand.‎

‎(Berlin, Haude et Spener, 1755). 4to. No wrappers, as issued in ""Mémoires de l'Academie Royale des Sciences et Belles-Lettres"", tome IX, Année 1753, pp. 51-72.‎

‎First printing.‎

Bookseller reference : 43019

‎"CLAUSIUS, R. (RUDOLF). - AVOGADRO'S HYPOTHESIS CONFIRMED AND EVAPORATION EXPLAINED.‎

‎Ueber die Art der Bewegung, welche wir Wärme nennen.‎

‎(Leipzig, Johann Ambrosius Barth, 1857). Without wrappers in ""Annalen der Physik und Chemie. Hrsg. von J.C. Poggendorff"", Vierte Reihe Bd.10, Stück 3 (= Poggendorff Bd. 100, No. 3). Pp. 353-480 a. 1 plates (the entire ""Heft"" (Stück) 3 offered). Clausius's paper: pp. 353-380. Clean and fine.‎

‎First printing of a milestone paper in the Kinetic Theory of Gases in which Clausius gives the physical explanation for the evaporation of a liquid and presents the first physical argument in support of Avogadro's hypothesis that equal volumes of gases at the same temperature and pressure contain equal numbers of molecules.""In the paper ""Ueber die Art der Bewegung, welche wir Wärme nennen."", Rudolf Clausius (1822-1888) established mathematically that the heat in a gas cannot be accounted for exclusively by translational motion of the molecules and asserts that molecules have rotational and vibratiional motion as well as translational motion. He consequently rejects the contentions the the translational kinetic energy is conserved during molecular collisions and that all molecules have equal, constant velocities. His allowancee for differing molecule velocities enables him to offer a new explanation of evaporation, asserting that he molecules able to overcome the attractive forces of the liquid and ""escape"" to the gaseous state are those with high velocities (and hence high kinetic energies). hence evaporation produces a loss of energy in the liquid and a decreasein temperature.""(Parkinson in ""Breakthroughs"", 1857 C/P).""This 1857 paper (the paper offered) also marked another importent beginning in physical theory, for it presented the first physical argument in support of Avogadro's hypothesis that equal volumes of gases at the same temperature and pressure contain equal numbers of molecules. Clausius argued that if it were assumed that all types of molecules possess the same translational energy at equal temperatures, then, since all gases have the same relationship between pressure, volume, and temperature, they would necessartly contain equal numbers of molecules in equal volumes at the same temperatur and pressure. Avogadro's hypothesis, therefore, found support in the mechanical theory of heat, independently of the usual chemical arguments.""(DSB III, p. 307).‎

Bookseller reference : 43060

‎VAUQUELIN, (NICOLAS) - THE DISCOVERY OF BERYLLIUM.‎

‎De l'Aigue marine, ou Béril" et découverte d'une terre nouvelle dans cette pierre. Lue à l'Institut, le 26 Pluviose, an 6. (+) Notice sur la terre du Béril, pour servir de suite au premier mémoire sur le méme objet. (+) Analyse De l'Émeraude du Pé...‎

‎Paris, Fuchs et Guillaume, An VIe. (1798). Contemp. hcalf. Spine gilt. Very slightly rubbed. Small stamps on verso of titlepage. In: ""Annales de Chimie, ou Recueil de Mémoires concernant la Chemie"" Tome 26. - 340 pp. a. 1 engraved plate.(the entire volume offered). Vauquelin's papers: pp. 155-169, pp. 170-177 a. pp. 259-265. Some brownspots to the first and last leaves, otherwise fine and clean.‎

‎First printing of the papers in which Vauquelin describes and announces his discovery of Beryllium.""The discovery of beryllium resulted from the Abbé Haüy's observation of the close similarity and probable identity of beryl and the emerald. At his suggestion Vauquelin made some very careful chemical analyses of these two minerals, and found in 1798 that they are indeed identical, and that they contain a new earth, which he named glucina, but which is now known as beryllia. The metal was isolated thirty years later by Wöhler and Bussy independently.....At the suggestion of the editors of the ""Annales de Chemie...."", he called the new earth 'glucina', meaning sweet."" (Weeks in ""Discovery of the Elements"", p. 153-54). - Parkinson ""Breakthrough"" 1798 C.The volume contains other importent papers in the history of chemistry, Hassenfratz ""De l'Areométrie"" + ""Suite..."" 2 Paprs., Berthollet, Chaptal, Guyton, Fourcroy, Priestly (first app. in French) etc.‎

Bookseller reference : 43088

‎"FARADAY, M. (MICHAEL). - THE DISCOVERY AND ISOLATION OF BENZENE.‎

‎On new compounds of carbon and hydrogen, and on certain other products obtained during the decomposition of oil by heat. Read June 16, 1825.‎

‎(London, W. Nicol, 1825). 4to. No wrappers as extracted from ""Philosophical Transactions"" 1825 - Part II. Pp. 440-466. Clean and fine.‎

‎First appearance of this remarkable paper in which Faraday announces his discovery of Benzene. Berzelius described this research as ""without doubt one of the most importent which has enriched chemistry during 1825.""""The first public announcement of the discovery of benzene, the greatest chemical discovery made by Faraday. Originally named by him ""bicaburet of hydrogen"", benzene is the parent substance of all aromatic compounds. It constitutes the basis of thousands of organic compounds, dyes, perfumes, and medicinal products, as well as many polymers and structural materials. The discovery of benzene led to the creation of numerous chemical companies and the manufacture of materials previously unknown. This paper is a thourough study of the physical and chemical properties of benzene.""(Neville I, p. 443). - Parkinson ""Breakthrough"" 1825 C.‎

Bookseller reference : 43119

‎"BERTHELOT, MARCELLIN. - THE FOUNDATION OF THERMOCHEMISTRY‎

‎Sur les Principes généraux de la Thermochemie. 1.- 13. Mémoire. (+) Dissolution des Acides et de Alcalis. 1. - 9. Mémoire.‎

‎Paris, Victor Masson, Imprimerie Gauthier-Villars, 1875. 8vo. Contemp. hcalf, raised bands, gilt spine. Light wear along edges. Wear to top of spine. Small stamps on verso of titlepage. Both works in ""Annales de Chimie et de Physique"", 5me Series - Tome IV. 572 pp. (The entire volume offered). Berthelot's works: pp. 5-131 a. 141-214 + pp. 445-537. Internally clean and fine.‎

‎First appearance of this collection of Berthelot's famous memoirs on thermochemistry to which he turned his attention in 1865. In these lectures he introduced the concepts of 'exothermix' and 'endothermic'. He also intorduce his famous 3 principles - equivalence between internal and heat changes in chemical reactions, heat evolved or absorbed in a chemical change depends onlyon the initial and final states of the reactans and products, provided no external work is done, and ""law of maximum work"" which says that ""every chemical change accomplished without the intervention of energy from outside tends towards the production of a body or system of bodies which produce the most heat"". The principles of Thermochemistry given here Berthelot considered himself fundamental.""In the 1860s Berthelot was done with synthesis and turned to thermochemistry, the study of the heat of chemical reactions. In some of his work he had unknowingly been anticipated by Hess, but he went much further. He devised a calorimeter within which he could measure the heat of chemical reactions and ran hundreds of determinations. This work along with that being conducted by Thomson threw the science of thermochemistry into high gear.""(Asimov).‎

Bookseller reference : 43164

‎"DAVY, HUMPHREY.‎

‎The Bakerian Lecture. On the relations of electrical and chemical changes. Read June 8, 1826.‎

‎(London, W. Nicol, 1826). 4to. No wrappers as extracted from ""Philosophical Transactions"" 1826 - Part III. Pp. 383-422. Clean and fine.‎

‎First printing of Davy's last Bakerian Lecture.""Davy repeats his theory of 1806 (the classic work on electrochemistry) and describes experiments with a galvanometer on currents from metals, etc. in alkali sulphide solutions, and various types of combinations. If two pieces of copper are introduced one after another into a sulphide solution a current is produced"" he explains this as due to the couple: clean copper/copper sulphide on copper, in the same solution. A similar observation, with two pieces of tin in a hydrocloric acid, mentioned by Davy, had been made by....G.O. Ritter...After some time Davy noticed, the polarity is reversed, owing to the reducing action of hydrogen on the oxide or sulphide first formed.""(Partington vol. IV:p. 72.).""Humphry Davy was one of the most brilliant chemists of the early nineteenth century. His early study of nitrous oxide brought him his first reputation, but his later and most importent investigations were devoted to electrochemistry. Following Galvani's experiments and the discovery of the voltaic pile, interest in galvanic electricity had become widespread. The first electrolysis by means of the pile was carried out in 1800 by Nicholson and Carisle, who obtained oxygen and hydrogen from water. Davy began to examine the chemical effects of electricity in 1800, and his numerous discoveries were presented in his Bakerian lectures.""‎

Bookseller reference : 43168

‎HAGER, HERMANN.‎

‎Untersuchungen. Ein handbuch der Untersuchung, Prüfung und Wertbestimmung aller Handelswaaren, Natur- und Kunsterzeugnisse, Gifte, Lebensmittel, Geheimmittel etc. 2 Bde.‎

‎Lpz., 1871-74. Cont.hcalf. Back a little worn. (4), 636, 646 pp. Many textillustr.in woodcut. Some pages brownspotted. First edition.‎

Bookseller reference : 4321

‎"GRAHAM, THOMAS. - COINING THE WORD ""DIALYSIS"".‎

‎The Bakerian Lecture. - On Osmotic Force. Received June 15, - Read June 15, 1854.‎

‎(London, Richard Taylor and William Francis, 1854) 4to. No wrappers as extracted from ""Philosophical Transactions"" 1853, Vol. 144 - Part I. Pp. 177-228, 3 fine textillustrations in woodcut. Clean and fine.‎

‎First appearance of this importent paper in which Graham coins the word ""dialysis"" denoting the passage by diffusion of dissolved substances as a function of their concentration and molecular mass. In this way he further explained 'exomosis'.""Thomas Graham (1805-1869) studies diffusion in gases and solutions and discovers and names the phenomenon now known as the osmotic force. He finds that certain substances (i.e. glue) pass more slowly through membranes than others (i.e. common salt). He calls the former colloids and the latter crystalloids and introduces the notion of dialysis to describe these observations. The beginning of his famous lecture ""On osmotic force"" with illustrations is shown on the right.""(From Anders Gedeon ""Science and Technology in Medicine"", p. 244, where part of the first page and the illustrations from the offered paper, are shown).Garrison & Morton: 686. (""Investigation on osmotic force"" provided importent information for the physiologists"").‎

Bookseller reference : 43302

‎"BROWN, ROBERT. - THE DISCOVERY OF ""BROWNIAN MOTION""‎

‎Mikroskopische Beobachtungen über die im Pollen der Pflanzen enthaltenen Partikeln, und über das allgemeine Vorkommen activer Molecüle in organischen und unorganischen Körpern"" (Unterdem Titel: ""A brief Account of Microscopical Observations made in th...‎

‎Leipzig, Johann Ambrosius Barth, 1828. Without wrappers as issued in ""Annalen der Physik und Chemie. Hrsg.von Poggendorff"", Bd. 14, Zweites Stück. (=Jahrgang 1828, zehntes Stück). Pp. 191-306 a. 3 engraved plates. (the entire issue offered (Heft 2) together with the titlepage to 14. Band). Brown's paper: pp. 294-313. Clean and fine. Small stamp on verso of titlepage.‎

‎First appearance in German of this monumental paper in atomic theory and kinematics, as it was the first evidence for atomism that was an observation rather than a deduction from abstract principles.""In 1827 as he was viewing a suspension of pollen in Water under the microscope, he noted that the individual grains were moving about irregularly. This, he thought, was the result of the life hidden within the pollen grains. However, when he studied dye particles (indubitably nin-livin) suspended in water, he found the same erratic motion. This has been called ""Brownian motion"" ever since and Brown could merely report on the observation. He had no explanation for it. Nor had anyone else until the development of the kinetic theory of gases by men such as Maxwell a generation later. It seemed plain. after Maxwell and especially after the work of Einstein and Perrin a half century after Maxwell, that the Brownian Motion was actually a visible effect of the fact that water was composed of particles. It was the first evidence for atomism that was an observation rather than a deduction."" (Asimov).The issue contains other importent papers by C.. Naumann, G. Magnus, Th. Saussure ""Kohlensäuregas in der Atmosphäre"" andothers.PMM: 290 (the English paper from 1828) - Sparrow, Milestones of Science No 31. - Magie ""A Source Book in Physics p. 251-255. - Dibner, Heralds of Science No 156.‎

Bookseller reference : 43318

‎"WÖHLER, FRIEDRICH & JUSTUS LIEBIG - CLASSIFYING ORGANIC COMPOUNDS.‎

‎Untersuchungen über das Radical der Benzoésäure. (+) Untersuchungen über das Radical der Benzoésäure. (Schluss). 2 Parts. (Researches on the Radical of Benzoic Acid).‎

‎Leipzig, Johann Ambrosius Barth, 1832. Without wrappers as issued in ""Annalen der Physik und Chemie. Hrsg.von Poggendorff"", Bd. 26, Stück 2-3. Pp. 193-352 a. pp. 353-496 a. 3 folded engraved plates. (2 whole issues offered having titlepage to vol. 26).). Wöhler & Liebig papers: pp. 325-343 (2. issue) a. pp. 465-485 (3. issue). Both issues clean and fine.‎

‎First appearance (but also in ""Annalen der Chemie"") of these outstanding researches on the benzoyl radical. where the importence of ""radicals"" to organic chemistry is illustrated.""Along with his collegue, Friedrich Wöhler..who had already synthetized urea, Liebig wrote a famous paper (1832, the paper offered) in which he showed, for the first time, that a complex organic group pf atoms - a ""radicale"" as it is now called - is capable of forming a long series of compounds, behaving throughout as though it were an element. THE DISCOVERY IS OF PRIMARY IMPORTENCE FOR OUR CONCEPTION OF THE CHEMICAL CHANGES IN THE LIVING BODY.""(Singer in ""The Story of Living Things"" p. 374).""In their classic paper - which was actually written by Wöhler although Liebig is listed as coauthor - they summarized their achievements: ""...we make the general assertion that as a result of our experiments, it is established that there is a body, composed of three elements, that remains stable in the presence of reagents and that can be regarded not only as the radical of benzoic acid, bur perhaps with slight variatioons, as the radical of a large number of similar compounds.....Incidentally, many of the compounds they first prepared and described (such as benzoyl chloride) were importent in the future development of organic chemistry.""(DSB XIV, pp. 476-477). - Parkinson ""Breakthroughs"", 1832 C‎

Bookseller reference : 43321

‎"LIEBIG, JUSTUS. - FOUNDING THE METHODS OF ORGANIC CHEMICAL ANALYSIS‎

‎Ueber einem neuen Apparat zur Analyse organischer Körper, und über die Zusammensetzung einiger organischen Substanzen.‎

‎Leipzig, Johann Ambrosius Barth, 1831. Contemp. hcalf, raised bands, gilt spine with gilt lettering. A few scratches to binding. In ""Annalen der Physik und Chemie. Hrsg.von Poggendorff"", Bd. 21. VIII,630,22 pp. and 6 engraved plates. (The entire volume offered). Small stamps to verso of titlepage and plates. Liebig's paper: pp. 1-42. Internally fine and clean.‎

‎First printing of Liebig's milestone work describing the methods for analyzing organic compounds by the ""combustion method for determining carbon and hydrogen in organic compounds, a method still in use. The paper was first published in ""Annalen"" in 1831 (the paper offered). His insistence that chemistry could be applied to agriculture marks the beginning of the practical applications of chemistry which dominated his life.""(Dibner ""Heralds of Science"" No 46). - He notably introduced a method for determining the amount of urea in a solution. This substance is found in blood and urine of mammalss, and was the first organic compound to be sunthetized, that is to be built up from inorganic substances.The work is more often referred to under the title ""Anleitung zur Analyse organischer Körper"", published 6 years later in 1837, this is the case for both Dibner and Horblit. Horblit in ""Milestones of Science"" No. 67, adds that it ""Appeared earlier in ""Annalen der Physik und Chemie, vol. 31..(the paper offered) He calls it ""Importent publication of the constitution of organic compounds, with descriptions in detail of the modern method of chemical analysis"".""Organic compounds generally had molecules of far more complicated structure than those of inorganic ones, and methods for analyzing the former quantiiavily lagged. Gay-Lussac and Thénard had worked out a way of burning organic compounds and measuring the quantity of carbon dioxide and water that was formed. By 1831 Liebig had taken this technique in hand and perfected it to a point where, from the figures on carbon dioxide and water formed, accurate measurements of the carbon and hydrogen in the original compound could be obtained.""(Asimov).Dibner No 46 - Horblitt No 67.The volume contains other importent papers Sefström ""Ueber das Vanadium..."" (discovery of Vanadium), August von Strombeck, H. Hess, Humboldt, Sérullas, 2 more by Liebig, Liebig & Wöhler ""vermischte Bemerkungen..."", Gay-Lussac (transl. into German), A. Fresnel ""Auszug aus einer Abhandlung über ...Doppelbrechung..."", August von Seebeck, Hansteen, Rose, Brewster etc.‎

Bookseller reference : 43326

‎"SOUBEIRAN, EUGÈNE - THE DISCOVERY OF CHLOROFORM.‎

‎Recherches sur quelques Combinaisons du Chlore.‎

‎Paris, Crochard, 1831. No wrappers as extracted from ""Annales de Chimie et de Physique"", 2. Series, Tome 48. Titlepage to vol. 48. Pp. 113-157. A few brownspots, but fine. Small stamps on verso of titlepage.‎

‎First appearance of an importent paper in chemistry and medicine as it for the first time relates the finding of Chloroform, which some years later was proved to have anaesthetic effects and was introduced in chirurgy in 1848 by Simpson.Justus von Liebig, Souberain and Guthrie independently discovered Chloroform in 1831, but Souberain was the first to publish his results. - Garrison & Morton No. 1851. - Gedeon ""Science and Technology in Medicine"" 36.7.‎

Bookseller reference : 43365

‎"THOMSON, THOMAS.‎

‎On some of the compounds of chromium. Read March 29, 1827.‎

‎(London, W. Nicol, 1827). 4to. No wrappers as extracted from ""Philosophical Transactions"" 1827 - Part II. Pp. 159-230. Clean and fine.‎

‎First printing of the paper in which Thomson describes his discovery of chromyl chloride, which he thought was a compound of '1 atom chromic acid' and '1 atom of chlorine', of chromium chromate and some new chromates.""The principal object of this Paper is to give an account of a singular combination of chromic acid, and chlorine, which I discovered about a year and a half ago. But as the investigation of this compound led me to a more careful examination of the oxides of chromium, and a more accurate knowledge of their composition than had hitherti attained, I shal also state the facts which I have ascertained with respect to these bodies.""(Thomson).‎

Bookseller reference : 43371

‎"AMPÈRE, ANDRÉ-MARIE. - THE CLASSIFICATORY SYSTEM OF AMPERE.‎

‎Essai D'une Classification naturelle pour les Corps simples. (+) Suire De l'Essai i d'une Classification naturelle pour les Corps simples. (+) Suire D'une Classification naturelle pour les Corps simples. Suite du II. (+) Suite...Suite du II. (...‎

‎(Paris, Crochard, 1816) No wrappers as extracted fron 'Annales de Chimie et de Physique', Volume 1 and 2 (2e Series). Pp. 295-308 a. pp. 373-394 (Vol. 1), pp. 5-32 a. pp. 105-125 (Vol. 2). With both halftitles to vols. 1 a. 2. Htitles shaved in inner margins, no loss of letters. All 4 papers having some scattered brownspots.‎

‎First appearance of Ampere's notable memoir (issued in 4 parts) in which he tries to set up a classification system for the elementary entities in chemistry tieing the elements together in a natural classification, a dim foreshadowing of the periodic table.""Here (in the paper offered) he drew attention to the similarities between Lavoisier's and his fellowers classification of elements in terms of their reactions with oxygen and Linnaeus' classification of plants in terms of their sexual organs. Bernard de Jussieu had successfully challenged Linnaeus with a natural system that took the whole plant into account and sought affinities between all parts of the plant, not just the flowers, as the basic classification. Ampère now wished to do the same thing for chemistry. By discovering a natural classification, i.e., one that tied the elements together by real and rather than artificial relations, Ampère hoped to prove a new insight into chemical reactions. His classificatory scheme, therefore, was not merely an ordering ofthe elements but, like the later periodic table of Dimitri Mendeleev, a true instrument of chemical research. Ampères system was as artificial as Lavoisier's...Thepapermay be noted, however, as an early attempt to find relationships between elements that would bring some order into the constantly growing number of elementary bodies.""(DSB I, p. 143).‎

Bookseller reference : 43465

‎"ADAMS, W.G. AND R.E. DAY.‎

‎The Action of Light on Selenium. Received May 18, - Read June 15, 1876. - [INVENTING THE SOLAR CELL]‎

‎(London, Harrison and Sons, 1878). 4to. No wrappers as extracted from ""Philosophical Transactions"" 1877 - Vol. 167. Pp. 313-349.‎

‎First appearance of Adams and Day's landmark paper, in which they demonstrated that electricity could be produced from light without moving parts, eventually leading to the modern solar cell. It is here that Adams shows for the first time that the discovery of Willoughby Smith - that the conductivity of selenium is due only to the effect of light - is correct and furthermore that light has an effect on the resistance of selenium and that light generates electrical currents in selenium. Two years later Adams expanded the work and published 'Solar Heat'. Here he described his ""Power Tower Concept"", which to this day remains the basis of solar plants.William Grylls Adams (1836 - 1915), professor of Natural Philosophy at King's College, London, and brother of the famous astronomer John Couch Adams (1819-1892), was President of the Physical Society of London from 1878 to 1880. In 1872 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society and in 1875 delivered their Bakerian Lecture. He was president of the Institute of Electrical Engineers and of the mathematical and physical section of the British Association.His greatest achievement lies in demonstrating the seminal discovery that electricity could be produced from light without moving parts. The road to this discovery was begun in 1839 when Becquerel discovered that illumination of one of two metal plates in a dilute acid changed the electromotive force. Another French scientist, Auguste Mouchout, followed up on Becquerel's discovery, but it was not until 1876, when Adams and Richard Evans Day discovered that illuminating a junction between selenium and platinum has a photovoltaic effect, that the foundation for the documented use of solar thermal power was laid [with the publication of the present paper]. ""From a historical viewpoint, it is of interest to note that the first experiments on the generation of solar thermal power in India were conducted by an Englishman, William Adams, about one hundred years ago. Adams stayed in Coloba, Mumbai and performed his experiments in the compound of his bungalow. He used a sphecical reflector 12 m in diameter, made from sheets of glass mirror. The sun's rays were focussed on a boiler having a capacity of about 60 litres and the steam generated was used to drive a 2.5 HP steam pump. Adams's work is described in a book written by him entitled ""Solar Heat - A Substitute for Fuel in Tropical Countries for Heating Steam Boilers and Other Purposes"" (Education Society's Press, Byculla, Bombay, 1878)."" (Sukhatme & Neyak, ""Solar Energy. Principles of Thermal Collection and Storage"", p. 48)""William Grylls Adams was and English scientist who taught as a professor in the department of Natural Philosophy at King's College. He is notable for his contribution to the discovery of the photoelectric effect, on which all solar energy applications are based. He was inspired by Auguste Mouchout's invention of the solar steam engine. With the intent of making improvements to Mouchot's design, Adams began to experiment with different materials and designs. In 1876, working in conjunction with his student, Richard Day, he discovered that selenium produced electricity when exposed to sunlight. Using the selenium, he then added mirrors to the design to concentrate sunlight on the engine. This design came to be known as the power tower concept and is still in use today."" (Smith & Taylor, ""Renewable and Alternative Energy resources: A Reference Handbook"", 2008, pp. 1556-56).Wheeler Gift, No. 3856. - Shiers ""Early Televison"", no. 73.‎

Bookseller reference : 43525

‎"WURTZ, ADOLPHE - THE ""WURTZ REACTION""‎

‎Sur une nouvelle Classe de Radicaux Organiques.‎

‎Paris, Victor Masson, 1855. 8vo. Contemp. hcalf, raised bands, gilt spine. Light wear along edges. Light wear to top of spine. A few scartches to binding.Small stamps on verso of titlepage. In ""Annales de Chimie et de Physique"", 3me Series - Tome 44. Pp. 512 pp. a. 2 folded engraved plates. (entire volume offered). Light scattered brownspots. Wurtz's paper: pp. 275-313.‎

‎First printing of an importent paper in the history of organic chemistry in which Wurtz describes his methodof syntheesizing longchain hydrocarbons by using hydrocarbon iodides and sodium, a method essential for the synthesis of a series of hydrocarbons.Parkinson ""Breakthroughs"", 1855 C.Charles Adolphe Wurtz, was born at Strasbourg 1817. For many years he was Professor of Chemistry at the Ecole de Médicine and at Sorbonne in Paris. He was known not only for his researches in organic chemistry but also for his many literary works. He was editor of a Dictionnaire de Chemie Pure et Appliquée, and after 1868 one of the editors of the Annalen der Chemie et de Physique. He died in Paris in 1884.‎

Bookseller reference : 43541

‎"VAUQUELIN et ROBIQUET - THE FIRST AMINO ACID TO BE ISOLATED‎

‎Découverte d'un nouveau principe végétal dans les Asperges (asparagus sativus. LINN.).‎

‎Paris, Bernard, 1806. Without wrappers. In: ""Annales de Chimie, ou Recueil de Mémoires...Par MM. Guyton, Monge et. al."" Tome 57, Issue (Cahier) 1. Halftitle to vol. 57. Pp. 5-112. Vaugelin & Robiquet's paper: pp. 88-93. A few scattered brownspots.‎

‎First appearance of this founding paper in which the authors announced their isolation of the first amino acid, the fundamental bricks of protein, from asparagus.‎

Bookseller reference : 43597

‎"DALTON, JOHN. - THE FIRST PAPER ON MODERN ATOMIC THEORY - GERMAN EDITION.‎

‎Ueber die Absorption der Gasarten durch Wasser und andere tropfbare Flüssigkeiten. Frei bearbeitet von Gilbert. Mit einigen Zusätzen.‎

‎(Halle, Rengerschen Buchhandlung, 1808). Without wrappers as published in ""Annalen der Physik. Herausgegeben von Ludwig Wilhelm Gilbert"", Bd. 28, Viertes Stück. The entire issue offered (=Heft 4). Titlepage to vol. 28 (small stamps on verso). Pp. 377-496 a. 3 engraved plates. Dalton's paper: pp. 397-416 a. 1 engraved plate showing apparatus.‎

‎First appearence i German of Dalton's epoch-making paper in which is contained THE FIRST CLEAR STATEMENT OF MODERN ATOMIC THEORY and having the FIRST LIST OF ATOMIC WEIGHTS ""Verhältniss der Gewichte der kleinsten Theilschen von gasförmigen und andern Körpern."" (Table of the relative weights of the ultimate particles of gaseous and other bodies). The paper offered is a free translation of Dalton's paper ""On the Absorption of Gases by Water and Other Liquids"", published 1805 in ""Memoirs of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Manchester"".""The paper was read to the Manchester Philosophical Society by Dalton in 1803 and printed in 1805. The appended table in this paper is the first list of atomic weights. Dalton, in this publication, took the law which William henry had recently enunciated (that the amount of of gas absorbed by a liquid is proportional to the pressure) and extended it to apply to mixtures of gases, using his own law of partial pressures."" (Leicester & Klicktein ""A Source Book in Chemistry"", p. 258).Parkinson ""Breakthroughs"", 1803 C.- Smyth No. 38.‎

Bookseller reference : 43629

‎"LAVOISIER, ANTOINE-LAURENT, ET AL.‎

‎Mémoire Sur la Combustion du Fer. (Etc. etc. etc.). - [THE LAVOISIERIAN REVOLUTION IN CHEMISTRY]‎

‎Paris, Rue et Hotel Serpente, 1789. 8vo. Contemporary half calf. Gilt spine, slightly rubbed, light wear to spine ends. ""Annales de Chimie: ou Recueil de Mémoires Concernant la Chimie et les Arts qui en Dépendent. Par MM. de Morveau, Lavoisier, Monge, Berthollet, De Fourcroy, le Baron de Dietrich, Hassenfratz & Adet."" Tome Premier. (2),312,(2) pp. The entire volume offered. Some scattered brownspots. A small wormtract to upper margin of ab. 20 leaves, no loss of letters.‎

‎First edition of the first volume of this very important journal, founded by Lavoisier and his friends, collaborating in establishing THE NEW SCIENCE of Anti-Phlogistic theory in chemistry. Crosland (in ""The two French Revolutions"" and ""The Imperial Despotism of Oxygen"") claims that for a clear understanding of the CHEMICAL REVOLUTION, THE NEW JOURNAL of ANNALES DE CHIMIE can be rightly considered as FUNDAMENTAL as the ""Traite élementaire de Chimie"".""A third and most important instrument was the establishment of a new scientific journal, edited - and dominated - by the votaries of the ""new chemistry"". The first number of this journal of the Annales de chimie appeared in 1789, the year of the Revolution. Its editors were besides Lavoisier, his early disciples - Guyton, Berthollet, Fourcroy, and Monge - with the addition of three new recruits: the Strassbourf metallurgist the Baron de Dietrich, Jean-henri Hssenfratz and Pierre Auguste Adet.""(DSB VIII, p.81).LAVOISIER'S paper on COMBUSTION (pp. 19-30) contains his important interpretation of the phenomena of combustion in air, making the fundamental distinction between burning and combustion. By this ""Lavoisier gave to the study of chemistry a new life, a new direction and a wider outlook."" (Alexander Findley).""The Lavoisierian memoir on combustion of iron stood out among the large number of interesting papers discussed in the first volume of the ""Annales"". In his account Lavoisier sustained that in nature, combustion without flames did occur. Thus, he clarified the distinction between ordinary burning and combustion: an issue on which the majority of traditional chemists were confused. The need for accuracy and precision in laboratory practices was emphasised in his study, as it was a means to determine quantities rather than assuming them.""(Angela Bandinelli in ""Scientific Communication During a Major Change ...Empirical Research: Annales de chimie vs Obs. sur la physique/ Journal de physique (1789-1803)).The volume furthermore contains important papers by: Adet, Fourcroy (3 papers), Berthollet (3 papers), Chaptal, Hassenfratz (5 papers), Baron de Dietrich (2 papers), Klaproth (2 papers), Girtanner, Dollfuss, Bonz de Ettingen, Crell, De Morveau.‎

Bookseller reference : 43634

‎"PASTEUR, LOUIS. - CRYSTAL STRUCTURES‎

‎Nouvelles Reseraches sur les relations qui peuvent exister entre la forme cristalline, la composition chimique et la phénomène rotatoire mpléculaire. Premiere - (Deuxieme) Partie.‎

‎Paris, Victor Masson, Imprimerie de Bachelier, 1853. Without wrappers. In ""Annales de Chimie et de Physique"", 3me Series - Tome XXXVIII, August-issue. With titlepage to vol. 38.Pp. 385-508. a. 2 plates.(entire issue - Aout). Pasteur's paper pp. 437-483. Some scattered brownspots.‎

‎First appearance of an importent paper in which Pasteur extended his work on the optical activity and the molecular assymetry. An importent paper among the handfull of his early papers on these subjects.An importent paper by Robert Bunsen comes with the Pasteu-paper in this issue: ""Recherches sur les Rapports intrinseques des Phénomenes pseudovolcaniques de L'Islande"". Pp.385-436 a. 1 plate.‎

Bookseller reference : 43640

‎SAUNDERS, WILLIAM.‎

‎A Treatise on the Chemical History and medical Powers of some of the most celebrated Mineral Waters with practical remarks on the Aqueous Regimens. To which are added, Observations on the use of Cold and Warm Bathing.‎

‎London, William Phillips - Georg Yard, 1800. Contemp. full sprinckled calf. Spine gilt, titlelabel with gilt lettering. Light wear to top of spine. (8),XX,483 pp. a.1 folded table. Internally clean and fine, on good paper.‎

‎First edition.‎

Bookseller reference : 43686

‎"MONHEIM, JEAN PIERRE JOSEPH. - PRESENTATION COPY.‎

‎Analyse des Eaux Thermales de Borcette, Suivie de l'examen du gaz acote sulfuré dégagé des sources sulfureuses tant d'Aix-la-Chapelle que de Borcette.‎

‎Aix-La-Chapelle, Schwarzenberg, 1811. Orig. blank wrappers. VIII,63 pp. Clean and fine on good paper. On top of titlepage ""A La Societe des Sciences de Plissingue/ hommage de l'auteur.""‎

Bookseller reference : 43689

‎"WÖHLER, F. und J. LIEBIG. - THE DISCOVERY OF ""EMULSIN"" A MAIN WORK IN ORGANIC CHEMISTRY.‎

‎Ueber die Bildung des Bittermandelöls. (+) Vorschlag zur Einführung eines neuen Arzneimittels anstatt des destillirten Kirschlorbeer- und Bittermandelswassers. (+) Ueber Marcet's Xanthic-Oxyd. (3 papers all by Wöhler u. Liebig).‎

‎Leipzig, Johann Ambrosius Barth, 1837. Without wrappers as issued in ""Annalen der Physik und Chemie. Hrsg.von Poggendorff"", Bd. 41, Zweites Stück. (Entire issue No 6 offered). Titlepage to vol. 41. Pp. 225-448 a. 2 folded engraved plates. Wöhler & Liebig's papers: pp. 345-366, pp. 366-374 a. pp. 393-397. Clean and fine.‎

‎First appearance of this classic paper in organic chemistry in which Wöhler and Liebig showed how Amygdalin could be decomposed by a vegetable emulsion, the first example of a glycoside.""The conclusions which you have drawn from the investigation of bitter-almond oil,"" wrote Berzelius to Liebig and Wöhler, ""are certainly the most importent which have so far been reached in the domain of vegetable chemistry, and give promise of shedding an unexpected light over this part of the science...The facts which you have set forth inspire such reflections that they may be regarded as the dawn of a new day in vegetable chemistry.""(Berzelius-Wöhler Briefwechsel).""During the years that Liebig was preoccupied with the ether theory and with organic acids, he also carried out two importent investigations with Wöhler. In october 1836 Wöhler wrote that he had discovered a way to transform amygdalin to oil of bitter almonds and hydrocyanid acis, by distilling it with manganese and sulfuric acid, and he invited Liebig to join in pursuing the topic. Two days later he made a more remarkable discovery. It had occurred to him that perhaps thetransformation of amygdalin could be effected by the albumin in the almonds, in a manner similar to the action of yeast in sugar...Wöhler suspected that the decomposition was an example of what Berzelius had recently defined as catalysis. Liebig and Wöhler then divided up the detailed examination of the properties and composition of amygdalin. They precipitated from the emulsion of almonds a substance which when dissolved retain its action. They named the active substance ""emulsion"". Its effectiveness in very small quantities confirmed that it acted like yeast.""(DSB VIII, p. 342).‎

Bookseller reference : 43739