DVT 161, 3
160. výročí Siemensovy dvojité T-kotvy v dynamoelektrických strojích
Jan Mikeš, Marcela Efmertová
160th Anniversary of the Siemens Double-T Anchor in Dynamo-electric Machines.
During the 1870s and 1880s electrotechnology grew to be a major
component of the industrialization processes in the second stage of the industrial
revolution. As an independent scientific discipline it proved to be one of the
first branches that established their own industry independent of traditions. The
electrotechnological industry began to influence other manufacturing branches
and, retroactively, its own research as well. New developments emerged primarily
thanks to the simple and reliable electric rotating (dynamo-electric) machines
that offered multiple applications and which grew to be competitors to the universal
driving steam engines. Initially, the new machines were developed solely as sources
of lighting.
Keywords: Ernst Werner von Siemens ● history of electrotechnology ● the dynamo-electric principle ● dynamo ● electromagnet
Summary
The inventors of electric rotating machines linked up to findings made in the
1830s. In 1856 Ernst Werner von Siemens (1816–1892, von 1888) discovered
the dynamo-electric principle. H e built a self-excitation dynamo using electromagnets,
and not permanent magnets, for the generation of a magnetic field around
the rotating parts of T-anchor. Thanks to improvements in other parts of the
electric rotating machine, including the invention of the drum armature and
improvement of the commutator, the concept of dynamo-electric machines
was completed by the end of the 1870s. The dynamo was not only a source of
electric current, when cranked by hand, but could also serve as an electric motor,
when current was fed into it.
Author’s address:
Fakulta elektrotechnická ČVUT
Zikova 2, Praha 6
DVT 161, 8
Recepce Darwinovy evoluční teorie v díle Johna Lubbocka (1834–1913)
a Williama Crookese (1832–1919)
Pavel Pecháček
Reception of Darwin’s evolutionary theory in the work of John Lubbock
(1834–1913) and William Crookes (1832–1919).
The purpose of this study is
to show and describe the influence Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution had
on general scientific worldview in the United Kingdom, using two scientists as
example. The first is Darwin’s friend, a politician, banker, natural scientist and
polymath, Sir John Lubbock (1834–1913), whose work is pervaded with the
spirit of natural selection. Lubbock was probably the first to apply the principles
of natural selection to humans. The second part of this study is dedicated to
William Crookes, a physicist and chemist (1832–1919), who applied the theory
of natural selection to the origin and evolution of chemical elements.
Keywords: Charles Darwin ● John Lubbock ● William Crookes ● natural selection ● evolution of culture and society ● evolution of chemical elements ● Victorian era
Summary
The publication of Darwin’s On the Origin of Species in 1859 was a turning point
not only for our general knowledge about all living things but also for the
principle of natural selection, which provided inspiration for science, humanities,
and society at large. The two scientists who are the subject of this study were
significantly influenced by the theory of natural selection. The first, Sir John
Lubbock, was Charles Darwin’s student and successor. The ideas of his mentor
pervade Lubbock’s entire body of work and were applied to humans even
before Darwin wrote The Descent of Man. The second is Sir William Crookes
who provides us with a brilliant example how the atmosphere evoked by the
idea of natural selection affected other natural sciences, specifically research
into the origin and evolution of chemical elements. Chemical elements had been
considered definite and unchanging, just as biological species were until this
view was challenged by Lamarck, Darwin, and others. Although there are many
more examples that show the influence of evolution on Victorian scientific
community, these two provided perfectly capture how Darwin’s groundbreaking
idea was used to solve other scientific problems.
Author’s address:
Katedra filosofie a dějin přírodních věd PřF UK
Viničná 7, 128 44 Praha 2
pavel.pechacek@gmail.com
DVT 161, 26
Nádory u Rokitanského a Virchowa – vznik nového paradigmatu v medicíně
Jan Hrudka
Tumours in works of Carl Rokitansky and Rudolph Virchow – a new
paradigm in medicine.
The aim of this historical-epistemological study is
to research the theories and classifications of malignant tumours in various
periods of human medicine, concentrated on systematic treatises of two great
simultaneously working pathologists of 19th century, Carl Rokitansky in Vienna
and Rudolph Virchow in Berlin. The study illustrates the transformation in overall
conception of the essence, nature and cause of cancerous disease, starting with
a review of works by Carl Rokitansky (1804–1878), who understood cancer in
a different way than contemporary biology. Rokitansky understood tumorous
tissue as sediments of an unknown morbid substance, which was said to be
produced excessively by the sick body. In this concept we can see some remnants
of ancient humoral pathology. By contrast, Rokitansky’s contemporary Rudolph
Virchow (1821–1902) formulated and established the cell theory (“omnis cellula
e cellula”) and described cancer as a mass of pathologically excessively dividing
cells. H e also explained the origin of tumour metastases as “daughters” of the
original primary tumour, which grow from solitary dropped off tumour cells, like
an embryo growing from a single fertilized egg. Virchow has firmly established
the principal method of thinking in theoretical and clinical oncology to this
day.
The study seeks the roots of the cell theory and considers the success of this
theory in the light of sociomorphic modelling. The idea of cells as “cooperating
citizens of an organism-state” originated in the century of civil emancipation
and democracy.
Keywords: Tumours ● pathology ● oncology ● cancer ● 19th century ● cell theory ● Rokitansky – Virchow
Summary
The article treats the origin of new conception of tumours in western medicine:
the idea of tumours as disease with excessive cell division. This paradigm originates
in the middle of 19th century in the works of G erman pathologist Rudolf Virchow.
The article illustrates this conceptual transformation in comparison with works by
Virchow’s contemporary, Austrian pathologist Carl von Rokitansky; and examines
the advance from older “blastema” or “exudation” theory to Virchow’s “cell”
or “proliferation” theory. The article discusses the background of this shift but
it does not treat older scientific theories as pure errors in positivistic manner.
Rather, the relevant and practically useful theories depend on specific ideal premises.
These premises do not result only from observable facts, but in some ways
from the thinking of people in a specific historical period as well. Concerning
the roots of theories of Rokitansky, Virchow, their contemporaries, and especially
their antecedents, more detailed further study would be valuable.
Author’s address:
Katedra filosofie a dějin přírodních věd PřF UK
Viničná 7, 128 44 Praha 2
Ústav patologie 3. LF UK a FNKV
Šrobárova 50, 100 34 Praha 10
DVT 161, 45
Českojazyčná vydání knih Johna Lubbocka z přelomu 19. a 20. století a jeho
korespondence s českými překladateli
Pavel Pecháček
Edition of John Lubbock’s books in Czech language at the turn of the
19th and 20th centuries and his correspondence with Czech translators.
Sir John Lubbock was one of the most significant figures of the Victorian era.
He became popular via his books, which were published in many editions and
translated into various languages. Two of them were translated into Czech:
Pleasures of Life and The Beauties of Nature and the Wonders of the World
We Live In. The article at hand deals with the circumstances surrounding the
process of translating both books and with the correspondence between John
Lubbock and his Czech translators.
Keywords: John Lubbock ● Jan Váňa ● Josef Pelcl ● Victorian and Edwardian Era
Summary
In 1897, two books of a British politician, banker and scientist John Lubbock
(1834–1913) were translated into Czech: Pleasures of Life (two volumes), and The
Beauties of Nature and the Wonders of the World We Live In. Interestingly, the former
was published in two separate translations, the first one by a Prague publisher
Josef Pelcl (1861–1916), the second one by a Czech philologist, professor and
teacher of foreign languages Jan Váňa (1847–1915). Their correspondence with
John Lubbock survives to this day, suggesting that both translations were made
at the same time. It is not clear, however, what was behind this sudden interest
in Lubbock’s texts. There might be several reasons, the most probable being
the same one that made Pleasures of Life one of the most published books of
the time – it is an intellectually rich book with a clear positive message that was
able to connect with readers from all walks of life, regardless of nationality.
Author’s address:
Katedra filosofie a dějin přírodních věd PřF UK
Viničná 7, 128 44 Praha 2
E-mail: pavel.pechacek@gmail.com