Recensies

Ingrid Kästner, Michael Schippan (Hgg.)

Deutsch-russische Zusammenarbeit wissenschaftlicher und kultureller Institutionen vom 18. zum 20. Jahrhundert

In einer Zeit, in der alte Freund- und Feindbilder ins Wanken geraten und teilweise neu justiert werden, kann der vorliegende Sammelband1 durchaus wertvolle Orientierungshilfe leisten. Er enthält siebzehn Beiträge der vom 21. bis 23. Oktober 2016 in Berlin veranstalteten Tagung2 der Projektgruppe Europäische Wissenschaftsbeziehungen der Akademie Gemeinnütziger Wissenschaften zu Erfurt und ist mit umfangreichem Bildmaterial ausgestattet. Nach der ersten Tagung im Februar 2015 in Erfurt ist es die zweite zu dieser Thematik,3 die einen aufschlußreichen Einblick in den Umfang und die Vielfalt der deutsch-russischen Kontakte und Kooperationen vermitteln will. In den beiden Grußworten, des Akademiepräsidenten Klaus Manger und des russischen Botschafters Vladimir Grinin, wird auf die besondere Bedeutung dieser Tagung und ihrer Thematik gerade in unserer von politischen Verwerfungen gekennzeichneten Zeit, hingewiesen. Abseits der Tagespolitik und der „Hysterie in den Mainstream-Medien“ zeigt diese grenzüberschreitende, von den jeweiligen Konjunkturen fast unberührte Zusammenarbeit in Wissenschaft, Kultur und Bildung zum gegenseitigen Nutzen ein solides und hoffnungsvolles Bild. Wie wichtig die Verbindungen zwischen der Göttinger und Moskauer Universität im 18. Jahrhundert für beiden Seiten waren, läßt sich, wenn auch die entsprechenden Archive noch unzureichend ausgewertet sind, schon erahnen, wie Daria Barow-Vassilevitch und Catherine Squires im ersten Beitrag des Sammelbandes über Göttinger Absolventen an der Moskauer Kaiserlichen Universität deutlich machen. Da die wissenschaftlichen Kontakte bis 1917 kaum Formalien unterlagen, wie wir sie kennen und wie sie manchmal die Zusammenarbeit eher behindern als fördern, lassen sich die frühen russischen Kontakte der Erfurter Akademie der Wissenschaften nicht ohne weiteres mit Dokumenten belegen. Daß sie bestanden, zeigt Jürgen Kiefer am unmittelbaren Wirken Erfurter Akademiemitglieder in Rußland, Doppelmitgliedschaften in der Erfurter und in der St. Petersburger Akademie usw. Auf die bisher kaum bekannte und gewürdigte Bedeutung des Grafen Carl Friedrich von Anhalt für den Ausbau der deutsch-russischen Wissenschaftsbeziehungen unter Katharina II. macht der Beitrag von Michael Schippan aufmerksam. Als nächstes legt uns Hartmut Walravens den vollständig abgedruckten vorletzten Teil aus dem vor allem für die Botanik ergiebigen Reisebericht des Memeler Arztes Johann Redowsky von Jakutsk nach Ochotsk vor. Gleich mehrere Beiträge widmen sich einem weiteren wichtigen Feld, nämlich der deutsch-russischen Zusammenarbeit in den Naturwissenschaften und vor allem in der Medizin. Sie stehen vielleicht etwas im Schatten der öffentlichkeitswirksameren Kontakte in der Kultur, sind aber sicherlich nicht weniger bedeutsam. So beleuchtet Elena Roussanova die engen Verbindungen zwischen den ersten Pharmazeutischen Gesellschaften in Deutschland und in Rußland, und Hans-Walter Lack und Dmitrij V. Geltman thematisieren die engen Beziehungen des Direktors des Königlichen Botanischen Gartens zu Berlin Adolf Engler zu Botanikern in Rußland. Ein wichtiges Kapitel für die Hirnforschung stellt die Gründung des Petersburger Psychoneurologischen Instituts 1907 dar, bei dessen Einrichtung der erste Direktor Alexander Bechterev die im Austausch mit deutschen Kollegen gesammelten Erfahrungen verwertet, welche Ingrid Kästner näher beschreibt. An die Bedeutung Ernst Friedrich Wilhelm Meumanns für die Entstehung der Anfang des 20. Jahrhunderts in Rußland zur Blüte kommenden und dann von den Kommunisten verbotenen Pädologie erinnert Marina Sorokina. Welche Funktion das Medizinhistorische Pauls-Stradins-Museum im damals russischen Riga als Mittler zwischen den Museen in Ost- und Westeuropa erfüllte, erläutert dann Juris Salaks. Weitere Beispiele für die engen deutschrussischen Beziehungen liefern die Zusammenarbeit von deutschen und russischen Frauenärzten vor und nach 1990 (Andreas D. Ebert) oder das Wirken des Koch-Metschnikow-Forums, gerade auch in schwierigen Zeiten (Helmut Hahn, Timo Ulrichs). Die über die Gesellschaft der Freunde des Neuen Russland (1923 - 1933) kanalisierten Beziehungen zu sowjetischen Institutionen analysiert Annette Vogt und geht dabei näher auf die Rolle des deutschen Mathematikers Emil Julius Gumpel ein. Gleich zwei Arbeiten erläutern die verschiedenen Probleme der russischschweizerischen und dann später der deutsch-russischen Zusammenarbeit bei der Edition des Eulerschen Nachlasses (Andreas Kleinert; Peter Hoffmann). Eine direkte Zusammenarbeit war angezeigt, da so der Nachlaß des berühmten Schweizer Mathematikers Leonhard Euler, der nach dem Studium in Basel zunächst in Rußland und dann in Preußen wirkte, leichter zusammengeführt werden konnte. Auf den hoffnungsvollen Beginn der Soziologie in Rußland mit engen Beziehungen zu Westeuropa, die dann von den Kommunisten liquidiert wurde, geht Wolfgang Geier ein. Wehmütige Erinnerungen an die gute alte Zeit, die aber letztlich nicht immer so gut war, läßt Margit Brauer in ihren Erinnerungen an die fruchtbare Zusammenarbeit des Berliner Aufbau-Verlages mit dem Moskauer Verlag Chudožestvennaja Literatura aufkommen. Von vielen Früchten dieser einst umfangreichen Zusammenarbeit profitieren wir noch heute, wie die auch ökonomisch weniger profitabler Übersetzungen aus den kleineren Literaturen der Sowjetunion oder vorzügliche Übersetzungen klassischer russischer und sowjetrussischer Literatur illustrieren. Mit dem Einführungsvortrag von Michael Schippan zur abschließenden wissenschaftlichen Exkursion in das Schloß Charlottenburg enden die Vorträge dieser Veranstaltung, die uns ein beeindruckendes und informatives Panorama der vielseitigen und tiefen kulturellen und wissenschaftlichen Beziehungen zwischen beiden Völkern entwirft. Klaus Steinke 1 Inhaltsverzeichnis: https://d-nb.info/1096491613/04 2 Tagungsprogramm: www.hsozkult.de/event/id/termine-32060 [2018-08-04]. 3 Die Beiträge der ersten Tagung der Projektgruppe sind im folgenden Band veröffentlicht: Deutsch-russische kulturelle und wissenschaftliche Wahrnehmungen und Wechselseitigkeiten vom 18. zum 20. Jahrhundert / Ingrid Kästner, Wolfgang Geier (Hgg.). - Aachen : Shaker, 2016. - 305 S. : Ill. ; 21 cm. - (Europäische Wissenschaftsbeziehungen ; 11). - ISBN 978-3-8440-4438-6 : EUR 35.80 [#5203]. - Rez.: IFB 17-4 http://www.informationsmittel-fuer-bibliotheken.de/showfile.php?id=8650

Quelle: Informationsmittel (IFB) : digitales Rezensionsorgan für Bibliothek und Wissenschaft

Eva Olmo Gil

Der Einfluss von Karstquellen und Nebengewässern auf die Wasserqualität der Altmühl im Bereich zwischen Treuchtlingen und Eichstätt/Südliche Frankenalb

Eva Olmo Gil verknüpft in ihrer Dissertation "Der Einfluss von Karstquellen und Nebengewässern auf die Wasserqualität der Altmühl im Bereich zwischen Treuchtlingen und Eichstätt/Südliche Frankenalb" die Einzugsgebietsparameter von Karstquellen sowie ihrer hydrologischen und chemischen Charakteristika mit den Veränderungen im Bereich des Vorfluters und deren Entwicklung bei bestimmten klimatischen und hydrologischen Szenarien. Die Untersuchung reicht von den Details des Untersuchungsgebietes - Klima, Geomorphologie, Hydrologie, physikalische und chemische Eigenschaften der Gewässer sowie Vegetation - über das Messprogramm und die Untersuchungsmethodik bis zur Modellierung mit dem ATV-DVWK-Gewässergütemodell. Den Hauptteil der Arbeit nimmt dann die Vorstellung der Untersuchungsergebnisse ein.

Quelle: Korrespondenz Wasserwirtschaft, 4/18, S. 232

Nikolaus Schmitz

Galmei und Schalenblende aus dem Altenberger Grubenfeld bei Kelmis/La Calamine

Zur Montangeschichte im Aachener Dreiländereck

Der Autor Nikolaus Schmitz (Jahrgang 1939) studierte an der RWTH Aachen Geowissenschaften und Bergbau. Seine Dissertation 1971 betraf einen historischen Tiroler Blei-Zink-Bergbau (Pflerschtal bei Gossensass in Südtirol). Nach wissenschaftlichen Reisen arbeitete er 1974 bis 2004 im Städtischen Kulturdezernat in Aachen. Die Blei-Zink-Lagerstätten blieben sein Schwerpunkt und so widmete er sich dem diesbezüglichen Bergbau um Aachen. Dabei befasst sich der erfahrene Geologe und Lagerstättenkundler mit dem Bergbau auf Galmei, das in Verwitterungszonen der Zink-Blei-Lagerstätten angereichert wird. In der Publikation wird die politische, technische und geologische Geschichte der weitläufigen Lagerstätte um Aachen geschildert. Der Bergbau auf das Verwitterungsprodukt Galmei ist seit 1344 nachgewiesen, aber wohl älter (karolingisch). Im frühen 19. Jahrhundert wurde entdeckt, dass das mit dem einen Wort Galmei bezeichnete Erz eigentlich zwei verschiedene Minerale sind: Zinkcarbonat - Zn[CO3] bzw. Smithsonit und Zinksilikat - Zn4[(OH)2-Si2O7]-H2O bzw. Hemimorphit. Der Name Galmei wird vom griechisch-römischen Namen des Minerals ,,kadmeia" abgeleitet. Galmei wurde im Mittelmeerraum ab dem 1. Jahrhundert vor Christus besonders für den Bedarf der Römer zur Messingherstellung gebraucht. Das goldfarbene Messing ist bei gleicher Farbe und Gießbarkeit billiger als die Zinnbronze, deshalb heute auch die wichtigste Kupferlegierung. Metallisches Zink ist in Europa erst im 14./15. Jahrhundert als Nebenprodukt der Edelmetallmetallurgie erzeugt und dann wurde zur Messingerzeugung zugegeben. Der Galmeibergbau im Länderdreieck Deutschland-Belgien-Niederlande nahe Aachen hat eine lange Geschichte. Nikolaus Schmitz schildert das Thema aus der Sicht des historisch interessierten Geologen. Daher wird auch der Lagerstätte und ihrer Entstehung ein besonderer Raum eingeräumt. Der Bergbaubetrieb in den einzelnen Revieren und Gruben findet hier eine sachkundige Beschreibung mittels Karten und Grubenplänen. Besonders Augenmerk wird auch auf die Wasserhaltung gelegt. Das Thema Aufbereitung und Verhüttungstechnik beschließt den Textteil, dem ein Bildanhang (Was vom historischen Bergbau blieb) folgt. Abschließend ein spezifisches Literaturverzeichnis. Gerhard Sperl

Quelle: MHVÖ-Aktuell, Juli 2018, S. 21-22

Rajinder Singh

C.V. Raman’s Laboratory and Discovery of the Raman Effect

This is a refreshingly different book about Professor C. V. Raman, Nobel Prize Winner for Physics in the year 1930. It is written by a professional historian of science, working in the University of Oldenburg, Germany. As is appropriate in a scholarly book of this type, almost every one of the numerous statements is given a citation of the source from where the information has been collected. Thus the author is in a good position to separate the myths and the hypes from the day-to-day reality and facts, in so far as they can be taken from the original sources.
It is also clear that the author holds Raman in high esteem, in spite of being aware of his personal foibles like a lack of modesty, a touch of self-projection and a slight intolerance of opposing points of view.

The primary myth that the author wants to debunk is the oft-quoted statement that Raman’s discovery of the Raman
Effect was done with a ridiculously low cost equipment and a pittance of money support. This occupies about half
the book. Very unfortunately we do not have any museum room with the items of the original equipment used by Raman with perhaps wax figures of the persons involved. One can only lament with the author that ‘Indian men of science and technology are oblivious in preserving their heritage, in particular, in the field of science and scientific instruments’. So from the original sources the author has collected the information about the cost of the equipment and facilities available to Raman during that period. The data clearly show that the IACS laboratory was perhaps the best research institution in India at that time and possibly as good as the laboratories of the medium level universities abroad, though clearly a notch below the top level institutions.
There were excellent technicians capable of fabricating intricate and delicate pieces of apparatus as well as the resources to import modest items of equipment from abroad. There were many dedicated research scholars. The cost of the equipment used to study the light scattering was clearly not a few hundred rupees, but more like a few thousand rupees.

Viewed in the context of the situation in 1928 this was not a miserably small amount of money. This is not to belittle Raman’s work, after all the accolade of the Nobel Prize is a fitting tribute to the quality of the achievement, but more to
avoid the pitfall that if poor support is given to scientists they will work hard and do great work. Often the science managers have a tendency to quote the famous statement ‘when you have no money and power, you begin to think!’.
Unfortunately experimental work requires adequate infrastructure support and this costs money. The author could have further highlighted the situation by pointing out that, while the first experiment is usually a herculean task, a heroic effort and an astonishing leap of faith, the experiment can be repeated later with much less effort, cost and facilities.
A surprising omission in the book, in this context, is the reference to Raman’s 1930 Physics Nobel Prize talk, which is now available in the open literature.
However it does not give too much of additional information to the present problem. The 7 inch refractor lens to condense the sunlight was used in the earlier studies. Then the spectral analysis, as different from the light intensity measurements, was taken up. Raman states. ‘The quartz mercury lamp was so powerful and convenient a source of monochromatic illumination that, at least in the case of liquids and solids, photographing the spectrum of scattered light was found to present no extraordinary difficulties. The earliest pictures of the phenomenon were in fact taken with a portable quartz spectrograph of the smallest size made by the firm of Hilger.

With a somewhat larger instrument of the same type, Krishnan obtained very satisfactory spectrograms with liquids and with crystals on which measurements of the desired precision could be made, and on which the presence of lines displaced towards the violet was first definitely established.’ It is quite possible that Raman first used a pocket spectrograph to check the scattered light and on seeing additional scattered light decided to analyse the scattering with a conventional Hilger spectrograph. This is quite plausible, given that on the fateful 28 February 1928, K. S. Krishnan came to the laboratory only in the afternoon to find Raman excited about the use of the pocket (portable) spectrograph and then proceeded to analyse the scattered radiation with the Hilger spectrograph. The first reference to a cost of Rs 200 or Rs 400 for the discovery appears only in 1948, twenty years after the discovery.
Subsequently the same has been repeated by many others, without a careful search of the literature and the situation as of 1928 in the IACS laboratory. In experimental work, a preliminary indication is taken as a very valuable guide, but only a proper verification of the result is taken as the ‘observation’. In Raman’s case the proper verification was only with the regular Hilger spectrograph. In this context one may even recall Pasteur’s famous advice that inspiration comes to the mind prepared to seize the importance of the idea and develop all the impacts and consequences. Even if Raman’s effort on the 28 February 1928 did not cost much, the preparation of the mind to seize the importance of the observation must be counted in the cost of the discovery.
The next one fourth of the book is devoted to the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science with Raman at the helm. The efforts to make it a vibrant research center are described at length.
Good workshop facilities, bright and hard-working research scholars as well as the import of a few instruments and chemicals made IACS the premier research centre in physics in India during this period, though Raman had an ambition to take it to international levels. Again almost every statement is made with a citation of the source from which
it is taken, leaving no doubt about the veracity of the remarks.

The last quarter of the book discusses the situation of Raman with reference to the Calcutta University and IACS. It must be a revelation to many that to the very end there was a very friendly atmosphere of mutual respect and support.
Raman even espoused the use of Bengali language to teach youngsters, taken up vigorously later by people like S. N. Bose and others. In spite of the financial difficulties, Raman was supported to the extent possible and Raman reciprocated by crediting the University and IACS for the success achieved. Alas, Raman’s outbursts on other workers, without realizing the deep hurt such remarks create, slowly made a group of people to be unfriendly. Raman’s salary in 1928 was Rs 1000 p.m. and this was sought to be made Rs 1500 p.m. after the award of the Nobel Prize in 1930. There was a bitter and acrimonious debate with personal tirades in the Senate of the University and only the intervention by the Vice Chancellor enabled the salary increase.
At about the same time there were feelers to attract Raman to the Directorship of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, as the first Indian to be the Director. The challenge of Bangalore was tempting and tantalizing. The author
clearly does not want to spend much time on this unhappy last years in Calcutta and merely quotes Raman’s student, Sukumar Chandra Sirkar, ‘Professor Raman was given an increment of Rs 500 per month after the award of the Nobel Prize and he was drawing altogether Rs 1500 per month at that time. The salary offered to him in Bangalore was about double this amount. He told me that he would take one year’s leave without pay and during this period the work in the Association would be continued undisturbed’. Raman moved to Bangalore in 1932 and such was his unquestionable greatness that within a year he produced another world class gem from Bangalore, namely the Raman–Nath theory of diffraction of light by ultrasonic waves which explained at one stroke the bewildering changes of the intensity of the light diffracted when the ultrasonic intensity is varied and which has become the corner stone of the modern acoustooptic modulator instruments.

What else can one want? Another historian to tell about Raman’s life before 1920s. The facilities of IACS and the Calcutta University were far below par and yet Raman managed to accomplish world class work in acoustics, specially the music of violin and drum (mrudangam). The article in Handbuch der Physik and the election to the Fellowship of the Royal Society were largely due to the pioneering work in musical acoustics. Recall that in 1924, the year he became an FRS, his light scattering work was not yet of the first quality.
History is replete with numerous examples of poets, musicians, and scholars who were living in abject poverty and yet produced work which are remembered even today as world class standing the test of time. This is a tribute to their genius.

It would be terribly wrong to deduce that poverty is a necessary condition to produce pioneering work. Ramanujan
was a mathematical genius. It would be a blunder to conclude that everyone who fails in the college examinations would become a great mathematician. Raman’s story is similar. The conclusion to be drawn is merely that in a laboratory whose facilities were nowhere comparable to those in the top institutions elsewhere in Europe and USA at that time, a fine piece of research was produced. It is definitely not to indicate that substandard facilities in Indian institutions would somehow produce magical wonders.

E. S. RAJAGOPAL

Quelle: CURRENT SCIENCE, VOL. 114, NO. 9, 10 MAY 2018, Seite1973-1974

Laura Lütke

Interaction of Selected Actinides (U, Cm) with Bacteria Relevant to Nuclear Waste Disposal

To assess the safety of a site destined for storage of nuclear waste enhanced research effort is demanded to investigate the complex interactions of released radionuclides with parts of the environment that includes indigenous microorganisms. This work aimed at assessing the interactions of two bacterial strains with the actinides uranium and curium with a focus on thermodynamics to provide stability constants of the actinide bacteria species formed usable for modelling the distribution of these actinides in the environment. The influences of Pseudomonas fluorescens (CCUG 32456A) isolated from the granitic aquifers at Äspö (Sweden) and a novel isolate from Mont Terri Opalinus clay (Switzerland), Paenibacillus sp. MT-2.2, were investigated. A combined approach using microbiological and spectroscopic techniques as well as potentiometry was employed to characterize the U(VI) and Cm(III) binding onto the cell surface functional groups structurally and thermodynamically. Further, due to its similar ionic radius to Cm(III) also Eu(III) was studied as non-radioactive analog.

Quelle: INIS International Nuclear Information System DE17F1650

Klemens Kampshoff

Verschränkung und bedingte Wahrscheinlichkeiten

Über die Frage, ob es Wirkungen geben muss, die weit voneinander entfernte quantenphysikalische Systemteile instantan aufeinander ausüben

The following topics are dealt with: Observations on objects of quantum world, possible causes for the uncertainty and determinedness of physical events, the natural limits of the researchability in the de Broglie-Bohm theory and a local-realistic variant, the observability and measurability on quantum objects. (HSI)

Quelle: INIS International Nuclear Information System DE17F6420

Rajinder Singh

C.V. Raman’s Laboratory and Discovery of the Raman Effect

New book explodes myth about cost of instruments used by Sir C V Raman

The book provides full account of how Raman and his students created and perpetuated myth that Raman Effect was discovered by spending just 200 to 500 Indian Rupees.

It is a part of folklore about Indian science that Sir C V Raman made his Nobel-prize winning discovery in 1928 using instruments which cost just a few hundred rupees. A new book by a science historian has busted this myth. Dr Rajinder Singh, a well-known historian of science, in his new book titled C V Raman´s Laboratory and Discovery of the Raman Effect, has brought to light certain hidden aspects of the Nobel laureate´s life and work. This is Singh’s third book on Raman. The book provides full account of how Raman and his students created and perpetuated myth that Raman Effect was discovered by spending just 200 to 500 Indian Rupees. The myth was floated and publicised in national newspapers (The Bharat Joyti, National Herald, Indian News Chronicle) in 1940s and in the memoirs written by Raman´s students. It was projected that the facilities available at the Indian Association for Cultivation of Science (IACS), Calcutta, where Raman did his experimental work, were poor. In newspaper interviews Raman himself spoke about poor facilities available for Indian scientists.

The cost of equipment used by Raman, as mentioned in newspaper articles, ranged between Rs 200 and Rs 500. Raman’s biographer and one of his former students, A. Jayaraman,wrote that “the equipment which Raman employed for the discovery was very simple and amounted to a total cost of 500 Rupees at the time.” The new book provides adetailed list of instruments used by Raman with their cost. Their total cost has been worked out to be Rupees 7630, excluding money spent on chemicals, which cost a handsome amount those days. It details the circumstances and instruments used during discovery of Raman Effect step by step on the basis of the diary of his co-scientist KS Krishnan from February 16, 1928 onwards. The chapter is a compendium of instruments such as mercury lamps, light filters, spectroscopes and other accessories required for Raman´s investigations leading to his discovery and the Nobel Prize.

Raman started his research activity in 1907 at IACS and it included areas as diverse as acoustics, optics, X-rays, and crystallography. His research team included the best talent available in India, as shown in the book. The library of IACS subscribed to 100 popular scientific journals from Europe. Thus the research facilities were not only adequate but almost ´unlimited´, according to the author. It was Raman´s dream to make IACS an international centre of research in India.

“Raman had a huge team of 36 trained researchers; well-equipped laboratories and workshops, and his own journal. Thus under these circumstances, it is wrong to tell that Raman worked under ´poor´ conditions,” the book has pointed out. In the chapter titled “Instruments for the Discovery of Raman Effect”, Singh laments that "as far as India is concerned, the history of scientific instruments is relatively unknown. Even the instruments ´made´ or bought by renowned physicists like CV Raman, MN Saha and SN Bose have not been properly preserved". The book points out that Raman was in the habit of complaining about poor conditions, especially after his visits to European laboratories. In a letter written to the Registrar of Calcutta University, he boasted: “From the experience I have gained in travelling in different parts of the world and visiting the great centres where experimental research in physics is carried on, I can assert without hesitation that the facilities available to the Palit Professor of Physics for the carrying on his duties at the College of Science are miserable in the extreme.”

Besides the instruments used by Raman, the book provides an account of Raman´s general activities as a faculty member, his opponents at the University of Calcutta and the international honours received by him as Palit Professor.

Asutosh Mookerjee, an educationist and judge who later became Vice Chancellor of Calcutta University, was a staunch supporter of the scientist. Raman was made Palit Professor of Physics even when he had no foreign research degree equivalent to D.Sc and that too on his own terms and conditions against the rules of the University. However, Raman proved his worth by winning a Nobel Prize in 1930.

Raman was provided "Ghose Travelling Fellowship" under which he could visit most of the research laboratories in Europe, USA and Canada. He wrote a proposal for expanding his research activities after such visits which was rejected by the university. He wanted to change rules for Ph.D. registrationbut the University Senate did not approve the idea. Raman fully participated in university administration and accepted assignments in various academic bodies of the university. He preferred Bengali as medium of instruction over Sanskrit. The most interesting section in the book talks about Raman´s so-called opponents at the university. In one instance, Raman annoyed JC Bose by offering higher salary to his trustworthy mechanic to uproot him from the Bose Institute. Raman was highly critical of research work of JC Bose and did not spare a moment to criticise him even after his death. The other scientists of the Calcutta School who did not see eye to eye with Raman were MN Saha, BS Guha, UN Brahmachari and Ganesh Prasad. The author has revealed his acumen to bring to light the reasons for the conflict between the dons of Calcutta University and Raman.

Ultimately, all opposition to Raman fizzled out after he got international honours as Palit Professor. He was conferred the Fellowship of Royal Society London, Knighthood of British Empire, and the highest award in Physics, the Nobel Prize. I want to finish my review with brilliant but somewhat sarcastic remarks of Arnab Ray Choudhury: "Raman as a scientist possessed many extraordinary qualities - brilliance of mind, astute intuition, dogged determination, tenacity, an almost unbelievable capacity for hard work - certainly modesty was not one of his qualities".

(India Science Wire)

Quelle: Down to Earth, Hardev Singh Virk, Friday 20 April 2018

Rajinder Singh

C.V. Raman’s Laboratory and Discovery of the Raman Effect

The common things that pop into our minds when we hear ‘Raman’ are ‘Raman spectroscopy’, ‘atomic dynamics’, ‘local structure’, etc. Very seldom do we think about the person, the brilliant Indian scientist Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman, who discovered and reported for the first time the phenomenon of inelastic light scattering by atomic vibrations, subsequently named after him. This book would be of interest for everyone who would like to learn about the discovery of the Raman effect. However, to a certain extent, this is an unusual biography. Scientists or students who know only a little about C.V. Raman might be slightly disappointed, because the book is more about C.V. Raman as a politician than as a person and scientist; it is more about the political atmosphere at the University of Calcutta at that time than about the research activities in the group of C.V. Raman that led to the observation of a new type of secondary radiation which is nowadays routinely applied in modern materials science. On the other hand, readers who are more or less familiar with the biography of C.V. Raman will appreciate this atypical approach in telling the story of this epochal breakthrough in physics, which was the missing experimental proof everyone was looking for, to boost the modern conception of the nature of light. Actually, this was the goal of the author, Dr Rajinder Singh, namely to present facts ‘from the kitchen’, which are not so popular among the canonical admirers of C.V. Raman. For example, it is curious to see that in a biography of Raman, it is emphasized that there were several quite incorrect statements in the original paper [C. V. Raman & K. S. Krishnan (1928). Nature, 121, 501–502]. The frank presentation of the facts by Dr Singh does not belittle the efforts and the genius of C.V. Raman; on the contrary, it demonstrates the insight of C.V. Raman in immediately recognising that the search for inelastic visible-light scattering had finally been successful, and his courage in publishing the results as soon as possible in order to make the new findings available for the scientific community worldwide. The book provides technical details about the instruments used to discover the Raman effect as well as about the funds available for research at the University of Calcutta. Furthermore, this short monograph can be considered as a nice overview of the history of Indian physical science in that amazing era of the revolutionary development of modern physics, which should be of interest for an international readership.

Quelle: Acta Cryst. (2018). C74, 650 Boriana Mihailova

Rajinder Singh

C.V. Raman’s Laboratory and Discovery of the Raman Effect

Rajinder Singh is a well-established Historian of Science who started his journey in this field by working on his Ph.D. thesis: “Nobel Laureate CV Raman’s work on Light Scattering”. He is an accomplished historian of science with more than 100 research papers and twenty books already to his credit. This book is 3rd in series on CV Raman and exposes to public eye certain hidden aspects of Indian Nobel Laureate´s life and work.

The book consists of four Chapters which are preceded by Preface, Acknowledgements, Dedication, Foreword, and half a dozen Expert´s opinions about the author and this book. In his Foreword, Arnab Rai Choudhury has critically examined the contents of the book and minces no words in projecting CV Raman and the author. He writes: ´ As a Bengali, I am pleased that Rajinder has collected new data from the records of Calcutta University on a subject which is often represented very wrongly on the basis of nothing more than unsubstantiated gossip: Raman´s relation with the Bengali academic world".

In his introduction (Chapter 1), Rajinder gives a photograph of the Spectroscope used by Raman for the discovery of the Raman Effect. He writes succinctly: "One might blame M.N. Saha for throwing away Raman´s instruments, while shifting the IACS from Bowbazzar to Jadavpur. This suggests that Indian men of science and technology are oblivious of preserving their heritage". The author further recalls: " Raman had a huge team of trained researchers; well equipped laboratories and workshops, and his own journal. Thus under these circumstances, it is wrong to tell that Raman worked under a ´poor´ condition".

Chapter 2 is titled "Instruments for the Discovery of Raman Effect" and forms the core of this book. The author laments: "As far as India is concerned, the history of scientific instruments is relatively unknown. Even the instruments ´made´ or bought by renowned physicists like CV Raman, MN Saha and SN Bose have not been properly preserved". The author delineates the circumstances and instruments used during discovery of Raman effect step by step on the basis of KS Krishnan´s diary from Feb. 16 onwards. In fact, this Chapter is a compendium of instruments, for example, mercury lamps, light filters, spectroscopes and other accessories required for Raman´s investigations leading to his discovery and Nobel Prize.

Chapter 3 is focussed on the research facilities provided to CV Raman at the Indian Association for Cultivation of Science (IACS), Calcutta. The myth of poor facilities at IACS and winning Nobel Prize by spending merely Rs. 400 on his equipment is exploded by the author in this Chapter. The total cost of his instruments works out to be Rs. 7630, excluding the price of Chemicals, which was a handsome amount those days. CV Raman started his research activity in 1907 at IACS and it included areas as diverse as acoustics, optics, X-rays, and Crystallography. His research team included the best talent available in India as shown in Tables 4-8 included in this Chapter. The library of IACS subscribed to 30 popular Science Journals of Europe. Thus the research facilities were not only adequate but almost ´unlimited´ according to the author. It was Raman´s dream to make IACS an International Centre of research in India.

According to the author, Chapter 4 is intended to fill the gap in the information available about CV Raman in the following areas: 1. Facilities given to Raman as Palit Professor. 2. Raman´s general activities as a faculty member. 3. Raman´s ´opponents´ at the University of Calcutta. 4. Three international honours received by Raman as Palit Professor. Asutosh Mookerjee, the educationist and Judge, who became Vice Chancellor of Calcutta University later on, was a staunch supporter of CV Raman. Raman was made Palit Professor of Physics even when he had no foreign research degree equivalent to D.Sc, and that to on his own terms and conditions against the rules of University. However, Raman proved his worth by winning a Nobel Prize in 1930.

Raman was provided "Ghose Travelling Fellowship" under which he could visit most of the research laboratories in Europe, USA and Canada. He wrote a proposal for expanding his research activities after this visit which was rejected by the University. He wanted to change rules for Ph.D. registration but the University Senate did not approve of it. Raman fully participated in University administration and accepted assignments in various academic bodies of the University. He preferred Bengali as medium of instruction over Sanskrit.

The most interesting section of this Chapter deals with the topic: "Raman´s ´opponents´ at the University". He annoyed JC Bose by offering higher salary to his mechanic and thus uprooting him from Bose Institute. Raman was highly critical of research work of JC Bose and did not spare a moment to criticise him even after his death. The other scientists of Calcutta School who did not see eye to eye with Raman were MN Saha, BS Guha, UN Brahmachari and Ganesh Prasad. The author has revealed his acumen to bring to light the reasons for the conflict of interest between dons of Calcutta University and Raman.

Ultimately, all opposition to Raman fizzled out after he got International honours as Palit Professor. He was conferred the Fellowship of Royal Society London, Knighthood of British Empire, and the highest award in Physics, the Nobel Prize. I want to finish my review with the brilliant but somewhat sarcastic remarks of Arnab Ray Choudhury: "Raman as a scientist possessed many extraordinary qualities - brilliance of mind, astute intuition, dogged determination, tenacity, an almost unbelievable capacity for hard work - certainly modesty was not one of his qualities".

I recommend this book for researchers, scientists and historians of science and culture. The author has took pains to give an exhaustive list of Notes and References to supplement the Bibliography. Rajinder deserves all praise for this monumental work pertaining to the Raman era of Indian History of Science.

Quelle: Hardev Singh Virk, 2/2018, Professor of Eminence, Punjabi University, Patiala, India.

Rajinder Singh

D.M. Bose – His Scientific Work in International Context

“D.M. Bose - His Scientific Work in International Context” by Rajinder Singh, with a foreword by Suprakash C. Roy is treasure trove of little known work by Prof. Debendra Mohan Bose. The unassuming pale green covered book pays homage to the great Indian scientist who has received little publicity in comparison to other scientists of his time. The book is dedicated to S.C. Roy, as the author was influenced by the article “D.M. Bose – A scientist incognito” by Dr. Roy. This book was very much needed for the Indian and international readers, who are less conversant with the work of Prof. D.M. Bose, while they know more about M.N. Saha, S.N. Bose, C.V. Raman and H.J. Bhabha. The book touches on his personality, seeming controversies and the expanse of his work.

The foreword by Dr. Roy summarizes the extent of Prof. Bose’s work, discusses his contributions in the modernization of Bose Institute, and dispels some Book Review controversies and presents some facts on Prof. Bose’s interaction with Rabindranath Tagore. Prof. Roy rightly points out that despite immense contribution in science he is relatively unknown in comparison to his contemporaries (and he refers to the Como conference invitation incident as descried cogently by the author).

The contents are quite detailed listing sections as well as subsections of every chapter. Though the chapters are not numbered, the listing provides a greater access to relevant subsections. An index is also provided at the end of the book for the ease of the reader. The introduction presents the activities of Prof. D.M. Bose, both scientific and otherwise (his association with various scientific bodies) is discussed. This is followed by a brief biography of Prof. Bose with some important dates (his date of birth is, however, replaced by that of Acharya J.C Bose; Prof. D.M. Bose was born on 26 November 1885). The chapters that follow are well referenced.

In the following chapter his work under the supervision of Prof. E. Regener on cosmic rays and his improvement of the Wilson Cloud Chamber is discussed. The author also points out that it was Prof. D.M. Bose who introduced the cloud chamber to India. His work on alpha, beta and proton (H-particles) tracks (in methane and hydrogen) is discussed in great details. His work on gamma ray produced tracks (tracks due to the secondary electrons created by the energetic photons) and his work on detecting the ejected electron. He also visualized collisions of alpha particles and the disintegration of nitrogen nucleus. He also observed the simultaneous ejection of two electrons in the same direction due to collisions of alpha particles in helium which was confirmed by the improved cloud chamber by C.T. R. Wilson.

The next chapter presents the work done by D.M. Bose on paramagnetism. Here a method for computation of magnetic moment of coordination complexes is presented, a work which was done independently by D.M. Bose and L.A. Welo and is known under the name of Welo-Bose rule. The independent contribution of spin and orbital angular momentum in paramagnetism in the presence of a magnetic field was pointed out in the Bose-Stoner hypothesis. He pointed out that in some cases the spin angular moment is important and in some others both the spin and orbital moments contribute. He presented a lecture on this topic at the Como conference. It was soon after that he returned to India and ultimately took up the Directorship of Bose Institute. As in the previous chapters, this chapter was replete with references.

In the next chapter, Bose’s interest in cosmic rays resurfaced. Here, following the strong interaction model of Yukawa, Bose along with his colleagues, viz. Biva Choudhuri used photographic emulsions to study charge particle tracks. They devised a mechanism to measure the energy of the projectile ion from the density of “stars” along the track and used it to obtain the energy of the ions in their later work. From the angle between the products and the density of stars they could estimate the mass separately. They used Illford halftone plates and detected and measured the mass of the mesotron (later known as the muon). Powell who got the Nobel prize for the detection of muon, followed the method used by Bose but with a much improved photographic plate.

In the following chapter Bose’s contribution in Botany was discussed. Acharya J.C Bose’s works on electrical responses in plants could not be repeated by Pearson. His work on electrical responses in plants and ascent of sap were severely criticised in the west. His work was deemed emotional and was difficult to repeat. D.M. Bose was interested in making Acharya J.C. Bose’s work on plant physiology understandable to botanists both in India and abroad who may find it difficult orienting themselves to his writings. He classified Acharya J.C. Bose’s work under two broad categories (a) inorganic models imitating response in animal tissues, and (b) comparative responses in plant and animal tissues. He and his colleagues worked on Desmodium gyrans and showed that the pulvinus reacted to the stimulus light irrespective of whether the leaf blade was still attached to it or not. Early work on biochemistry flourished under the influence of D.M. Bose and in effect made the work of Acharya J.C. Bose understandable and relevant. D.M. Bose also postulated a contractile protein in cytoplasm and with his acumen in theoretical physics proposed the physico-chemical hypothesis in biochemical potential. His experimental work on Mimosa pudica revealed a complex vascular arrangement in the subpetiolar region which mimicked neural transmission in plants. All these validated Acharya J.C. Bose’s work in the arena of modern botany.

The final chapter preceding the list of publications (and index) by D.M. Bose, the author brings to the front various interesting anecdotes and historical facts, without which it would have been hard to understand D.M. Bose as a person and as a scientist. Regarding D.M. Bose’s invitation to the Como conference, it was reported in various biographies on S.N. Bose that the invitation was meant for the other Bose. According to the report the invitation to the Como conference was meant for S.N. Bose and not for D.M. Bose, and the wrong Bose participated. However, as pointed out by the author, D.M. Bose was more eminent at that time due to his work on cloud chamber, muon (mesotron) and paramagnetism, in addition to the familiarity of Acharya J.C. Bose (as a mentor of D.M. Bose) in Europe, and it was certainly not the wrong Bose who was invited. This chapter also reflects on how close was D.M. Bose to getting the Nobel prize and how he (along with S.K. Mitra) nominated M.N. Saha for it (however, the Nobel committee did not consider Saha’s thermal ionization theory merited the prize).

The book is interesting to read and provides a window into the unpublicized world of D.M. Bose. The author dispelled various wrong notions (e.g. with respect to the wrong Bose being present the Como conference) and collects the vast spectrum of work done by D.M. Bose which is not widely recognised by the scientific community in our country and abroad. This is essentially a tribute to D.M. Bose, the scientist incognito.

Barun Kumar Chatterjee Senior Professor, Department of Physics, Bose Institute, 93/1 A. P. C. Road, Kolkata-700009

Quelle: SCIENCE AND CULTURE, MAY-JUNE, 2017 page 173-174