The progress of physics during 33 years (1875-1908) : four lectures delivered to the University of Calcutta during March 1908 / by Arthur Schuster.

Schuster, Arthur, Sir, 1851-1934.

Date:: 1911

Credit: The progress of physics during 33 years (1875-1908) : four lectures delivered to the University of Calcutta during March 1908 / by Arthur Schuster. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$never published.) I soon convinced myself that the “molecule of electricity” could not be explained away, and turned my attention to the electric discharge through gases. The history of the investigation of the passage of electricity through gaseous media, may serve to point several lessons. One of them is the truth of the statement, which has frequently been made, that the history of scientific discovery is to a great extent the history of scientific instruments and appliances. It is illustrated in our case by the marked advances which have accompanied each improvement in the construction of air pumps. The spectroscopic work of Pliicker owed a good deal to “ Geissler,” whose pump brought down the pressure to a fraction of a millimetre. Later on, Crookes felt the want of better vacua, which again soon led to notable advances of our knowledge of gas discharges. Finally the requirements of glow lamps and Roentgen tubes made our demands still more severe, and again new discharge phenomena were brought to light. The frame of mind with which the academic physicist looked upon investigations of the passage of electricity through gases, might be made the subject of instructive comment. The facts so far as they had been ascertained did not fit in with recognised views : hence they were ignored and students were warned ofT the subject. There was a feeling that perhaps in a century or so, the question might be attacked, but that in the meantime, it had better be left to be played with by cranks and visionaries. No criticism was more frequent at that time, than that of characterising as$