TODAY IN SCIENCE HISTORY
NEWSLETTER • 12 MAY
On 12 May 1803, William Howe was born, the American inventor of the Howe Truss for bridges widely used for decades by the expanding railroads of his time.
He was born in the same house in Spencer, Mass., as Tyler Howe, who invented bed springs, and Elias Howe who, after great persistence, devised an early sewing machine. Quite an inventive New England family!
Which is the title of a 1909 article in Munsey’s Magazine, which begins by introducing the Bemis part of their family tree, which included inventive men from whom the Howe's seem to have inherited the creative trait.
Today's feature is the first part of the article about this Inventive New England Family, which provides a short biography for the William Howe and the Bemises. It links to the remainder of the article so later you can read about Tyler, and especially Elias, who is perhaps the best known of the three.
On 12 May 1910, Dorothy Hodgkin was born, an English chemist who was awarded the 1964 Nobel Prize for her discoveries, by the use of X-ray techniques, of the structure of biologically important molecules, including penicillin (1946), vitamin B-12 (1956), and later, the protein hormone insulin (1969). Today's book pick is: Dorothy Hodgkin: A Life (P), by Georgina Ferry, who provides a warm, balanced, carefully researched biography.
While the context of this book is the development of crystallography, during the initial three decades of its application to organic structures, the focus of the book is simply Dorothy herself the person how she started life, how she worked her way into a scientific career, battled against the odds that were stacked against women in those days.
It is available from Amazon, typically about New from $40.00. Used from $6.50. (As of earlier time of writing - subject to change.)
 | … I became captivated by the edifices chemists had raised through experiment and imagination—but still I had a lurking question. Would it not be better if one could really “see” whether molecules as complicated as the sterols, or strychnine were just as experiment suggested? — Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin, English biochemist and X-ray crystallographer (born 12 May 1910).  |
 | To understand God's thoughts, one must study statistics, for these are the measure of His purpose. — Florence Nightingale, English nurse and statistician (born 12 May 1820). |
 | I am almost thanking God that I was never educated, for it seems to me that 999 of those who are so, expensively and laboriously, have lost all before they arrive at my age—& remain like Swift's Stulbruggs—cut and dry for life, making no use of their earlier-gained treasures:—whereas, I seem to be on the threshold of knowledge. — Edward Lear, English artist (born 12 May 1812). |
| Before you look at today's web page, see if you can answer some of these questions about the events that happened on this day. Some of the names are very familiar. Others will likely stump you. Tickle your curiosity with these questions, then check your answers on today's web page. | |
| Births | |
| | Dorothy Hodgkin, born 12 May 1910, was an English chemist. She was a crystallographer of distinction, and by the use of X-ray techniques, she determined the structure of biologically important molecules. For her discoveries, she was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry. In which decade was she awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry? |
 | A German chemist born on 12 May 1803 is most often remembered by the name of a design of distillation condenser he invented. Yet he made many important contributions to the early systematization of organic chemistry, to the application of chemistry to biology (biochemistry), to chemical education, and to the basic principles of agricultural chemistry. What is the name of this chemist? |
| Deaths | |
 | Roy J. Plunkett (1910-1994) was an American chemist who died leaving the world PTFE which he discovered by accident while working for DuPont. The trade name for this polymer is now so widely known, it has even been used satirically to describe an American President. Can you give the full chemical name, and the common name for this polymer? |
| Events | |
 | In 1936 a patent was issued for a new typewriter keyboard layout designed to maximize efficiency by placing common letters on the home row, and make the stronger fingers of the hands do most of the work. By contrast, the original QWERTY layout was designed for the earlier, less efficient typewriters. Previously, speed would result in two type bars hitting each other in their travel, so the original keyboard was laid out to reduce collisions. What is the name of this new keyboard layout? |
 | In 1816, the Columbian Press, the first printing press invented in America, was designed by George E. Clymer in Philadelphia, Pa. The iron horizontal platen hand-printing press used a system of compound levers to multiply the pull of the operator, replacing the iron screw previously used for downward pressure. A counterweight lifted the platen back after the pressman’s “pull”. Perhaps because it was the first such press invented in America, the counterweight was cast in a distinctive shape. What was the shape of the counterweight which identifies this press? |
Fast answers for the previous newsletter for May 11: linotype - typesetting machine • Harriet Quimby • a machine in which germinating seeds could be subjected to centrifugal force in either horizontal or vertical position • air pump • Siam.
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