EXPANDING THE "CONSERVATION-OF ENERGY" PRINCIPLE

MAYER, J.R. (JULIUS ROBERT).

Die organische Bewegung in ihrem Zusammenhange mit dem Stoffwechsel. Ein Beitrag zur Naturkunde.

Heilbronn, C. Drechsler'schen Buchhandlung, 1845. 8vo. Nice later hcalf bound to style (pastiche). Marbled covers. Richly gilt spine, titlelabel with gilt lettering. (2),112,(2) pp. Title-page with some brownspots, some scattered brownspots. Printed on good paper.

Scarce first edition - Mayer's MAGNUM OPUS - of this his most original and comprehensive paper, privately printed, BEEING THE WORK THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME INCLUDED LIVING PHENOMENA IN THE REALM OF ENERGY CONSERVATION. In this work Mayer again set out the physical basis of his theory, - in 1842 he was the first to present a figure for the mechanical equivalent of heat, and also stated his belief in the conservation of energy - "this time extending the ideal of force conservation to magnetic, electrical, and chemical forces. In Die organische Bewegung he described the basic force conversions of the organic world. Plants convert the sun’s heat and light into latent chemical force; animals consume this chemical force as food; animals then convert that force to body heat and mechanical muscle force in their life processes."(DSB).

Mayer submitted this paper to Liebig's Annalen but it was rejected by an assistant editor. The assistant's advice was to try Poggendorff's Annalen, but mayer did not care to foloow that publication route again. In the end, he published the paper privately, and hoped to gain recognition by distribiting it widely. But beyond a few brief journal listings, the paper, Mayer's magnum opus, went unnoticed.

"After 1860, Mayer was finally given the recognition he deserved. Many of his articles were translated into English, and such well-known scientists as Rydolph Clausius in Germany and John Tyndall in England began to champion Mayer as the founder of the law of the conservation of energy."(Alan Lightman "Great Ideas in Physics", p. 8).

Order-nr.: 51663