Galen W. Ewing
Seton Hall University South Orange, New Jersey 07079
A Letter from Heyrovsky
A
few months ago, when I was invited to talk to a student group in a neighboring university, I chose as my subject the development of polarography, as a case history in instrumentation.' In preparing material, I asked Mr. Paul H. Sherrick, Director of Research for E. H. Sargent & Co., for photographs of old models of the Polarograph from which I might prepare slides. He very graciously not only located pictures from early brochures, but also had the slides made for me. In the course of our conversation a t the Sargent plant in Chicago, it occurred to me to inquire whether the company files might contain some personal letters from Professor Heyrovsw, which would he of interest to my audience. So he dug through old filing cabinets, and found a four-page letter in Heyrovskfs hand, dated 1939, and very kindly gave me a photocopy and permission to use it. I read the letter in full as part of my talk, and found that it made more im~ressionon the audience than anything else I had tosay. So I would like to share this interesting letter with others concerned with the personal facets of the history of analytical chemistry. By way of preface, I might mention that the invention of the Polarograph was first reported by Heyrovslcj. and Shikata in 1925. Heyrovskfs first lecture trip to the United States was not until 1933. Interest grew slowly in this country, and so it was not until 1939 that we find Sargent making arrangements to import Polarographs manufactured in Prague by the firm of Dr. V. & J. Nejedlj., a year when the political future of Eastern Europe was, to say the least, uncertain. Here is the letter, in print for easy reading, but also reproduced in facsimile. ~
The Physico-Chemical Institute Charles' University Prague 11. Albertov 2030
Prague, April 19th 10Xl -*--
Mr. T. M. Mints, Preaident and Sales Manager of E. H. Sargent. h Co. Chicago Dear Mr. Mints, A few days ago I duly signed the patent application and the contract at the American Consulate in Prague and was greatly pleased to find your kind letter (dated March 24th) amongst the papers. I wish to assure you that I am very glad that you have undertaken extensive measures to propagate the Polarogaph and feel obliged to do everything to support this publicity from the scientific side. The first thing I have in my mind is to write s "textbook of Polarography," which may be ready far print this autumn. In the mean wwhi perhaps a pamphlet written by Dr. Rosenthal or Dr. Miiller will suffice. Your advertising book is very nicely arranged and well written. I wonder who is its
154
/
Journal of Chemicol Educafion
[It was written by Mr. Sherriok.-4.W.E.)
author.
There
are only some minor inadequacies, which, however, are of little importance to a beginner. Lately we have introduced a. very
convenient miero-vessel for 1 drop of liquid, which I am sending you under separate oover and add its description here. The full description of the commtmications of Professor Kolthoff at the Dallas meeting just appeared in the recent issue of the "Chemical Reviews." I t is n great pity that the high duty and the sombre prospect to the near future of the internatrand trade threatens to deprive us of s full swing of the polarograph business. In view of the difficulties which arise here in the purchase of material, slow trafic, and uncertain dealing, I recommend you the proposal of Dr. Nejedlj., to let him organise a polamgraph manufacture in your house. This would he necessary, if negotiations were broken off, but should be prepared now. If the conditions remain peaceful, I shall try to make a lecture tour through the States; as, however, I have my family here, I would not leave Prague rtdess "PDPP .,me .-.- i-~4 ~. . i n example, how the p m e n t ro~nliliw~s h i d e r uur prodortwm, in tl~emnking oi rhr rertiiyiny h a , for which we enlanor ihrnin the radio I~ttIband rhp nnm lamp. Dr. St.jr.dl(. hns. thrrefuw, suggested to you to deliver the apparatus without this box, since a 4 volt or 2 volt accumulator (lead storage battery, or iron-nickel cell, or dry cells) will do. The oonnectious from this battery should be put into the red and blue terminals on the side of the polarograph and the two black jacks for illumination should lead to a 5 volt alternating or direct current supply (best use a transformer from the 220-120 power supply to 5 volts). After a long discussion with Dr. Nejedll. we resolved to make the rectifying boxes here (since there are about fifty boxes ready) fill them with the condensom and transformers, but leave the two lamps for you to supply. I expect that these ordinary valves and neon lamps are cheaper and better made in your country and bhnt anv teohniaian would fit them into the box ~erfectlv. Expecting that in s. couple of weeks t,he conditions will become more favourable or st least clear up in this or in the other way, I am, with best personal regards,
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Yours very sincerely J. IIEYROVSK+
Zuman and Elving2 in their biography of Heyrovskj. on the occasion of his Nobel award (1959), state that all during the war, Heyrovskj. was permitted to continue his researches with a minimum of interference. Indeed, he continued actively in the field until his death in 1967. I t may be of interest to note that the trademark "Polarograph" was secured on Heyrovskfs instruction and for his benefit by one of his early doctoral students, Dr. Miroslav W. Tamale. It was first registered in the U. S. Patent Office on October 24, 1933, Dr. Tamale then being employed by the Shell Development Co. It was assigned to Heyrovsk? on January 17,1939, and reassigned by Heyrovskj. to E. H. Sargent & Co., February 1, 1939, as a consideration of the royalty contract by which Sargent assumed responsibility for polaromaphic promotion in the United States. 'For such a historicl~laccount, see M~~LLER, 0. H., J. CEEM. Eooc., 41, 320 (1964). 2 ZUMAN,P., AND ELVINO, P. J., J. CHEM.EDUC.,37,562 (1960).
