RADIUM & POLONIUM DISCOVERED.

CURIE, PIERRE & MARIE SKLODOWSKA CURIE & EUG. DEMARCAY. - RADIUM & POLONIUM DISCOVERED.

Sur une substance nouvelle radio-active dans la pechblende. Note de M.P. Curie et de Mme S. Curie, préséntée par M. Becquerel. (And) Sur une nouvelle substance fortement radio-active, contenue dans le pechblende. Note de M.P. Curie, de Mme P. Curie et de M.G. Bémont, préséntée par M. Becquerel. (And) Sur le spectre d'une substance radio-active. Note de Eug. Demarcay. (3 papers).

Paris, (1898). 4to. Uncut and unopened in marbled covers. Kept in a full cloth-box. Large copy, printed on better paper. pp. 175-178 and pp. 1215-17 and p. 1218 in: "Comptes rendus hebdomadaires des séances de l'Academie des Sciences" tome 127 No 3 and No 26 (comprising pp. 143-207 (no. 3) and pp. 1211-1218 (of No 26)).

First editions of the announcements of the discoveries of the 2 elements Polonium and Radium.

"Inspired by the research of Becquerel (her teacher and friend) in radioactivity, Mme. Curie and her husband Pierre, worked in the laboratories of the Sorbonne upon uranium and thorium. They also observed that certain substances exhibited much greater radioactivity than the amount of these substances indicated. Further investigation led to the discovery of a new element, polonium, in pitchblende from Bohemia. In december 1898, it was disclosed that compounds of barium extracted from pitchblende contained a new radioactive substance a million times more active than that of the uranium of Becquerel; it was named "radium". From several tons of pitchblende, they were able to extract a decigram of pure radium in 1902, and determined its atomic weight at 225. In the following year the Nobel prize was awarded jointly to Becquerel and the Curies." (Bernt Dibner).
In the last paper Eugene Demarcay spectroscopically examines the substance for the Curies and confirms the existence of a previously unknown element. -

Garrison & Morton No 2003 (describing the use of radium in medicine) - Dibner no. 164 (the note) - Norman No 545 (sale no 994) - Grolier Medicine No 84 B.

Order-nr.: 30684