Beschreibung:

CURIE, Marie Sklodowska (1867-1934) and Pierre CURIE (1859-1906). ‘Sur une nouvelle substance fortement radio-active, contenue dans la pechblende’, vol. 127, no. 3, pp 175-178, [continued with co-author Gustave BEMONT (1857-1937) in:] no. 26, pp.1215-1217. [ And :] DEMARCAY, Eugene (1852-1903). ‘Sur le spectre d'une substance radio-active’. In: Comptes rendus hebdomadaires des séances de l'Académie des Sciences , vol. 127, no. 26, p.1218. Paris: Gauthier-Villars, 1898. First edition, journal issue, of the announcement of the discoveries of polonium and radium. Becquerel's discovery of the radioactive properties of uranium inspired Marie Curie to investigate the phenomenon of radiation. ‘In 1898, [Marie and Pierre] discovered two new radioactive elements, polonium and radium; both of these elements are present in pitchblende (uranium ore), but in such minute quantities that the Curies were unable to isolate either one, and had to rely on spectroscopic evidence to prove their existence’ (Grolier Medicine). On April 12, 1898, Marie presented a preliminary note to the Academy, and in July 1898 she and Pierre published their first joint report in which they announced the discovery of polonium. In December 1898 they announced, in a paper signed also by Pierre's assistant G. Bemont, their discovery of radium, a far more radioactive element than uranium or thorium. The existence of radium – and the validity of the Curies' technique of analysis – was immediately confirmed by the spectroscopist Eugene Demarcay, whose report follows the Curies'. Garrison-Morton 2003; Grolier Medicine 84B; Norman 545. Quarto (258 x 212mm). Contemporary black half cloth over marbled boards, spine ruled and lettered in gilt. Provenance : Institute of Physics, University of Würzburg (stamp).