Technikatörténeti szemle 19. (1992)

KÖNYVISMERTETÉS - Papers of the First „MINERALKONTOR” International Conference on the History of Chemistry and Chemical Industry (Veszprém, 12-16 August, 1991)

Physiology and Pathology in 1893 after visiting the most famous laboratories of his field, like that of Robert Koch and Nathan Zuntz. He became head of the department of physiology at the Budapest University only in 1914, although h? began working there already in 1903 but at another department (6). In 1896, he organized a new institute for animal physiology and feeding, the first in this subject in Hungary. The institute soon became an internationally appreciated research place, where Russian, English, American and also Japanese scientists conducted research work. This was absolutely unique in Hungary at that time. Tangl understood the significance of physical chemistry in physiology and gave support for gifted people dealing with it. Hevesy made some of his earliest experiments with radioactive indication at this institute, sometimes together with Laszlo Zechmeister, later professor at Caltech in Pasadena, United States. Elisabeth Rona, the well known researcher of the Oak Ridge Laboratory after the Second World War, began her career here, to continue it in Vienna, at the Institut fur Radiumforschung. This was Michael Polanyi's earliest school in physical chemistry. His first papers were dated from Tangl's lab at the Budapest University, where he learned the basic technic of precise experimental work. Polanyi's choice was very lucky, as it would have been quite difficult to find such a serious, fruitful laboratory anywhere else in Hungary. The first paper, published in 1910, dealt with some properties of the brain fluid taken from sick people (7). It contained correct measurements of density, surface tension, conductivity, proving that Polanyi had learned how to be a scientist. The following papers coming from the same place contained.more and more physical chemistry, especially colloid chemistry (8). This direction became very fruitful to him from two points of view. First, because his interpretation of the third law of thermodynamics draw the attention of Albert Einstein, which helped him a lot to establish himself as scientist (9). Second, because he found one of his most successful subjects: absorption, the theme of his doctor theses in chemistry (10). His other mentor, Ignac Pfeiffer (1868—1941) became professor of chemical technology at the Technical University of Budapest in 1912, the same year when Polanyi took his first trip to Karlsruhe precisely with Pfeiffer's help. His most significant results were in connection with the hardness of water: worked out an analytical method to measure and another to soften it. He had pioneering works concerning combustibles, firing equipments, fueling technology, particularly concerning the coal and gas fueling. Later he was engaged in different problems of lighting devices (11). Although he has not taught Polanyi, they could come across several times. Their first and, from Polanyi's point of view, most important contact was realized in 1912 when Pfeiffer helped him to go to Karlsruhe with the rich boy. There he attended summer courses from elementary physical chemistry, electrochemistry contact chemistry, catalysis and regular physical chemistry. He also established some important relationships, particularly with the outstanding Polish scientist, Kasimierz Fajans who later collaborated also with Elisabeth Rona, another Tangl and Hevesy student. Moreover, Hevesy had a big discussion with Fajans on the new conception of chemical elements, and Polanyi tried to