1867 CLASSIC by MAYER on THERMODYNAMICS First Edition!!

1867 CLASSIC by MAYER on THERMODYNAMICS rare!!

Mayer, Julius Robert

Die Mechanik der Warme.

Stgt., Cotta, 1867.

Tall 8vo. 21 x 14 cms

VI pages, 1 leaf, 194 pages. Complete

Original cloth backed boards. Paper label to spine.

References: PMM 323; DSB IX, 240.

FIRST EDITION.

Contains Mayer’s pioreering work that let to the discovery of the first Law of Thermodynamics.

Signature of Oskar Frölich on front free endpaper A pioneer of telegraphy and electromagnetism.

Mayer "was one of the early formulators of the principle of the conservation of energy" (DSB).

'Mayer was credited by Helmholtz and later by Clausius and Tyndall, with being the first to develop the mechanical conservation principle' (Roberts and Trent, Bibliotheca mechanica p 221). However, his work was neglected until Tyndall rediscovered it and translated this and other works into English in 1862.

'The personal misfortunes of this genius (including neglect, impugned insanity and attempted suicide) have dulled the brilliance of his contributions to the mechanics of energy convertibility. From the expenditure of animal energy he developed the broader concept that all the natural forces were in universal conservation and remained so, as a law of nature. He held that work could be converted to heat, and heat to work, that when air is compressed the work appears as heat, and from this he calculated a numerical value for its mechanical equivalent' (Dibner, Heralds of science 157).

The following papers are included: Bemerkungen über die Kräfte der unbelebten Natur [1842]; Die organische Bewegung in ihrem Zusammenhange mit dem Stoffwechsel [1845]; Ueber das Fieber [1862]; Beiträge zur Dynamik des Himmels [1848]; Bermerkungen über das mechanische Aequivalent der Wärme [1850].

Binding rubbed; minor spotting to first few pages.

Antiquariat Daniel Good, Lucerne - Switzerland