| RefNo | HS/19/265 |
| Level | Item |
| Title | Paper, 'On the physics of media that are composed of free and perfectly elastic molecules and a state of motion', by [John James] Waterston |
| Creator | Waterston; John James (1811-1883); Scottish physicist |
| Date | 1846 |
| Description | Handwritten original paper offering a kinetic theory of gases. This paper was submitted for publication to the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society but rejected, it was thought that the original paper by Waterston had been lost by the Royal Society. On this copy addressed to Herschel personally, a note in Herschel's hand at the top of the paper mentions "Mr Waterston's paper with a letter and my reply, which could not be sent Mr W. having given no address sent but 'London''.
The theory proposed by Waterston was later confirmed to be correct despite the original referee reports, and published posthumously in Phil. Trans. in 1892, in recognition of the pioneering work of Waterston.
Enclosure removed from HS/18/380 and reply is HS/18/381. |
| Language | English |
| Extent | 3 pp. |
| Format | Manuscript |
| PhysicalDescription | Ink on paper |
| Place origin | London |
| Origin coordinates | 51.507222, -0.1275 |
| Digital images | View item on Science in the Making |
| AccessStatus | Open |
| RelatedMaterial | DOI: 10.1098/rsta.1892.0001 |
| RelatedRecord | HS/18/380 |
| HS/18/381 |
| RR/1/76 |
| RR/1/77 |
| HS/18/380 |
Fellows associated with this archive
| Code | PersonName | Dates |
| NA8238 | Herschel; Sir; John Frederick William (1792 - 1871); mathematician and astronomer | 1792 - 1871 |