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[The Discovery of Polonium and Radium] In Comptes Rendus, Vol. CXXVII, 1898, pp.175-178, 1215-1217, 1218. Paris: Gauthier-Villars, 1898. Offered is a Very Good- entire volume of Comptes Rendus in quarter black cloth with marbled covers and endpapers, gilt lettering on red leather spine labels. Spine labels faded and worn. Front hinge repaired. Soil and foxing edges, Ink stamp title page. Foxing. Cover edge wear. 4to. Hardcover. Very Good.It was already known that natural pitchblende is three or for times more active than uranium: after suitable chemical treatment the product obtained is 400 times more active and undoubtedly contains "a metal not yet determined, similar to bismuth.We propose to call it polonium, from the name of the homeland of one of us" ("Note" by M. and P. Curie, Comptes rendus.de l'Academie des sciences [18 July 1898]). However, the eminent spectroscopist Eugene Demarcay discerned no new lines; and it was necessary to procure more of the ore. Eduard Suess of the University of Vienna, a correspondent of the Institut de France, interceded with the Austrian government; and 100 kilograms were offered to the Curies. A third "Note" followed, signed also by Bemont, Pierre's assistant at the Ecole de Physique et Chimie: "We have found a second radioactive substance, entirely different from the first in its chemical properties, de l' Academie des sciences [November 1898]). The substance was radium. This time Demarcay observed a new line in the spectrum; confirmation of both the technique of measurement and of the discoveries was in sight. (DSB, Vol. 3 p. 499) In a series of papers beginning in 1897 in the comptes rendus they reported progress in their researches. First they isolated a new substance about three hundred times as active as radium. This they called polonium in honour of Marie's native Poland. A further examination of the residue of pitchblende after the removal of uranium and polonium disclosed residual radio-activity far greater than was possessed by either substance alone. To this material the name of radium was given. This was in 1898 and already Marie was able to estimate its probable atomic weight as 226.2. Although not yet isolated in its pure form, radium was found to be about two million times as radio-active as uranium. (PMM 394 p. 237) The discovery of radium. The Curies found this "second radioactive substance" in pitchblende (uranium ore) shortly after their discovery of the radioactive element polonium. Both elements existed in such minute amounts in the ore that neither could yet be isolated; however, the existence of radium was immediately confirmed by Eugene Demarcay, the spectroscopist, who report follows immediately after the present paper. (Norman p. 196).//DW//// Ask for pictures .
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