James Smithson's Calamines Paper

ID: 11210 or MAH-11210

Creator: Smithson, James 1765-1829

Form/Genre: Paper

Date: 1802

Citation: Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7000, Box 2, Folder: 3

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Summary

James Smithson (c.1765-1829) read this scientific paper, "A chemical analysis of some calamines," to the Royal Society of London on November 18, 1802. It was then published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. In honor of Smithson's proof in this paper that such compounds are true minerals, not merely calx of zinc, as was claimed by the renowned l'abbe Rene Just Hauy, the mineral was named Smithsonite by Francois S. Beaudant in "Traite Elementaire de Mineralogue" in 1832. A copy of the Philosophical Transactions is one of 213 books from James Smithson's personal library which came to the Smithsonian with his bequest.

Subject

  • Haüy, René Just 1743-1822
  • Smithson, James 1765-1829
  • Royal Society of London

Category

Historic Images of the Smithsonian

Contained within

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7000, Box 2, Folder: 3

Contact information

Institutional History Division, Smithsonian Institution Archives, 600 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20024-2520, SIHistory@si.edu

Date

1802

Restrictions & Rights

No restrictions

Topic

  • Smithsonite
  • Chemistry
  • Publications
  • Mineralogy
  • Beudant, Francois S
  • Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London
  • Experiments
  • Chemistry--Experiments
  • Research

Form/Genre

  • Paper
  • Book

ID Number

11210 or MAH-11210

Physical description

Color: Black and White; Size: 9w x 11.5h x 0.50d; Type of Image: Book; Medium: Paper

Full Record

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