Rutherford Summarizes the Second Solvay Conference (1913)

Ernest Rutherford. “International Conference on the Structure of Matter”, in Science, N.S. Vol 38, No. 988, December 5, 1913.

“The first International Conference in Brussels on the Theory of Radiation in 1911 owed its inception to Mr. Ernest Solvay, and proved a great success. Shortly afterwards, Mr. Solvay generously gave the sum of one million francs to form an International Physical Institute...part of the proceeds to be devoted to assistance of researches in physics and chemistry, and part to defray the expenditure of an occasional scientific conference between men of all nations to discuss scientific problems of special interest. In pursuance of this aim the second International Conference or Conseil International de Physique Solvay, was held in Brussels this year on October 27–31, under the able presidency of Prof. Lorentz. On this occasion the general subjects of discussion were confined to the structure of the atom, the structure of crystals, and the molecular theory of solid bodies...”--from the paper. 

This is the first U.S. appearance of the article which appeared a few weeks earlier in Nature, 92, 347 (20 November 1913), and is offered here in the weekly issue in original wrappers. The original owner made three notations in ink on the front cover of page numbers to read. Other than that, this is a near-fine copy, untrimmed. Not at all common to my experience. A near-fine copy: $125

This is a very short, two-column paper over two pages, giving a very brief background to the Solvay Conference (not named so here). Rutherford is writing about the 2^nd Solvay Conference, following the first (on radiation and quanta) of 1911. WWI would interrupt the process and when the conference resumed in 1921 Germans were restricted from attending. It is interesting to note that Einstein was invited but did not attend, showing solidarity for his countrymen trying to scratch their way out of their vanquished hole. There have been 27 conferences so far, meeting every three years or so, with the large exception of 1933-1948.