A Brief Account of Microscopical Observations made in the Months of June, July, and August, 1827, on the Particles contained in the Pollen of Plants; and on the general Existence of active Molecules in organic and inorganic bodies. [With:] Additional remarks on active molecules

BROWN, Robert

Published by Adam Black; Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown & Green, Edinburgh; London, 1929

About this Item

Brownian Motion and Atomic Theory. First journal printing, in original never-bound sheets, of Robert Brown's description of the molecular phenomenon later known as "Brownian motion," one of the most important discoveries of the nineteenth century. It formed the basis for kinetic theory of gases and served as proof of the existence of atoms and molecules. "In 1827 Brown, while making microscopical observations, saw that pollen grains while suspended in liquid, engaged in a continuous, haphazard, zig-zag movement. The idea that gases and liquids consist of molecules in rapid motion was not new, but it had remained largely speculative until it was scientifically proved and investigated in detail by Robert Brown and his followers" (PMM). "While studying pollen, Brown observed particles within the grains in a state of constant motion. He extended his observations to both dead and inorganic matter and found that such motion was not restricted to live pollen but could be observed in any sub-stance ground fine enough to be suspended in water. In 1879 William Ramsay explained that Brownian motion is due to the impact of particles of the molecules in the surrounding fluid, an explanation proved in 1908 by Jean Perrin. Brown's observations also inspired Einstein's 1905 paper 'Ueber die von der molekular-kinestisch Theorie der Wärme geforderte Bewegung von in ruhenden Flüssigkeiten suspendieren Teilchen', which gave a theory of Brownian motion based on the kinetic theory of gases" (Norman). "Brown's careful extended work dispelled the animist view of the construction of organic material. However, the true significance of what became known as Brownian Motion or movement was not realized until long afterwards by physicists and mathematicians. All these observations were made using simple microscopes. He demonstrated streaming to Charles Darwin who went to sit with him for training in microscopy and who much later was to build on Brown's pioneering work on pollination and fertilization. Brown, again using his simple microscopes, also helped James Paget to investigate trichinosis" (ODNB). The publication caused sufficient stir as to be mentioned in George Eliot's Middlemarch (1872): "I have some sea-mice - fine specimens - in spirits. And I will throw in Robert Brown's new thing - Microscopic Observations on the Pollen of Plants - if you don't happen to have it already" (Chapter XVII). The era of modern physics was in part inaugurated by Brown's publication, and it has entirely permeated modern mathematics: probability theory, stochastic processes, chaos theory, random processes, fractals, etc. "Brownian motion continues to be of immeasurable importance in modern science, from physics through biology to the latest wonders of nanotechnology. Indeed, this is reflected in citation statistics, which show that Einstein's papers on Brownian motion have been cited many more times than his publications on special relativity or the photoelectric effect" ('Einstein's random walk,' Physics World, 15 January 2005). "Brown was born in the coastal town of Montrose, north of Dundee, Scotland in 1773. The family moved to Edinburgh in 1790. Brown initially intended to study medicine at the University of Edinburgh, but soon fell in love with botany. He ventured into the Scottish Highlands, collecting plants and recording their descriptions in minute detail, and he discovered a new species of grass, Alopecurus alpinus. His studies were interrupted by his military service, and he found himself stationed in Ireland as surgeon's mate - a position that left him with plenty of time to pursue his botanical interests. "By the end of the century, Brown was well established as an amateur among the Irish community of botanists, even though he never completed a formal degree. But he had little hope of earning a living as a botanist, until he was selected to be the naturalist for a scientific expedition to explore 'New Holland' - the continent we now know as Australia. His.

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Bibliographic Details

• Title: A Brief Account of Microscopical Observations made in the Months of June, July, and August, 1827, on the Particles contained in the Pollen of Plants; and on the general Existence of active Molecules in organic and inorganic bodies. [With:] Additional remarks on active molecules
• Publisher: Adam Black; Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown & Green, Edinburgh; London
• Publication Date: 1929
• Binding: Soft cover
• Edition: First edition.
• Seller catalogs:
  • Chemistry, Medicine, Biology
  • Economics, Operations Research
  • Atomic Physics, Quantum Theory