The Chinese Journal for the History of Science and technology  NO.1 2002

The Proposing of the Total Synthesis of Crystalline Insulin Project……XIONG Wei-min，WANG Ke-di

【Abstract】 On the basis of interviewing persons concerned and analysis of original archives,this papaer discusses the procedure during which the Total Systhesis of Crystalline Insulin was proposed. Some historical facts are clarified,and the authors believe that it was scientists in the Institue of Biochemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shanghai who proposed such a bold scientific task in the summer of 1958. The procedure was influenced by factors within science and by both the ideology and social political circumstances external to science. The key points which made the task being set and won the support of the government were that the said proposal went with the tide of social development, embodied the will of national strategy,and satisfied the needs of politics then. This case study shows that the scientific work of the project was imprinted with marks of the age,and the outer factors played a big role in the development of science in modern China.

Debate About the Spontaneous Generation of Organisms in Guangzhou,1933……XUE Pan-gao

【Abstract】 The hypothesis of spontaneous generation of organisms,such as birds,fishes and insects,had been quite popular in ancient times. But never has that sort of hypothesis been proved by fact. The famous experiment and theory of Louis Pasteur demonstrated in 1862 that even the simplest form of life,the bacteria,could not generate spontaneously. 70 years later in 1932,a medical doctor called Luo Guang-ting from Guangzhou concocted an article entitled "Discovery of the Spontaneous Generation of Organisms",declaring that his experiment had verified the said hypothesis. As a result he repudiated Pasteur's theory and Darwin's principle of evolution,and such disciplines as hygienics and epidemiology would have to be completely rewritten. Thus some personages in political circle, newspaper reporters and editors of periodicals fell into his trap. With the aid of the effect produced by celebrities and the propaganda of such publications as Science (monthly) and Oriental (semimonthly),Luo's fallacy spread all over,thereby confusing right and wrong and harming young people and students.In order to maintain truth and vindicate the honour of science,Prof. Zhu Xi and other 6 professors from Zhong-Shan University made face to face arguments on the topic with Luo in 1933. Luo could neither offer a tenable point of view,nor realize the spontaneous generation of the insect he mentioned in his article in open experiment,and finally the nature of his anti-science attitude was exposed thoroughly.

From Metropolitan Museum of Natural History to Institute of Zoology and Institute of Botany……JIANG Yu-ping,ZHANG Bing-lun

【Abstract】 The Institute of Zoology and Botany,Academia Sinica was one of the most famous biological research centers during the period of the Republic of China(1912-1949),whose predecessor is the Metropolitan Museum of Natural History. Preparations for the setting up of the Museum were started in January,1929, and the Museum was formally founded in January,1930. In July,1934,the Metropolitan Museum of Natural History was renamed as the Institute of Zoology and Botany of Academia Sinica. During the period of War of Resistance against Japan,the Institute had changed its site time and again before it settled down in Beipei of Chongqing. In 1944,it was divided into the Institute of Zoology and the Institute of Botany at the second annual meeting of the Second Council of Academia Sinica,and the two institutes moved to Shanghai after the War. It took the collection of biological specimens and taxonomy as the main task during the period of the Metropolitan Museum of Natural History,focused on the field taxonomy, morphology and experimental biology during the period of the Instute of Zoology and Botany,and engaged in biological work in cooperation with other organizations during the War. The Institute of Zoology continued its previous research interest,but the Institute of Botany began to pay attention to the research of physiology,ecology,cytology and genetics after 1944. Based on historical archives and relevant documents,this paper attempts to give a relatively systematic discussion on the institute from the origins of its foundation,the change of its work range and mission,the alteration of its research members,the general situation of its work, and its research achievements.

Biological Exploration in Wuyi Mountain by Modern Westerners……LUO Gui-huan

【Abstract】 The Wuyi (Bohea) Mountain in northwest Fujian Province is a mountain noted for its biological diversity. After the French missionary A. David had collected many new species of plants and animals from it in the latter half of the nineteenth century,this mountain aroused general interest among biologists in the West.Since then,numerous naturalists went there for biological investigation and collection. J. D. D. La Touche of Britain who worked as a customs official of China,the U.S. biologist C. H. Pope and the German naturalist J.Krapperich were all remarkable persons among them. They had all made large zoological collections from Guadun (Kuatun) in the Wuyi Mountain. However,it is worth pointing out that La Touche's work made the kingdom of birds to be discovered;while Pope's work made the place as the "key"to the study of amphibians and reptiles in China and even Asia;and Krapperich's collections revealed it as a kingdom belonging to insects.The specimens of birds and reptiles as well as insects collected by them all yieleded a lot of new species.There were several hundred animal specimens which later became type specimens. Influential works such as A Handbook of Birds of Eastern China and The Reptiles of China published in Britain and U. S. are all closely connected with this region. Because of the above reasons,Wuyi Mountain as a biologist's paradise gradually became well known to the world.

A Study on the Relation of Qin Jiushao and Huzhou……HAN Xiang-lin

【Abstract】 The relation of Qin Jiushao and Huzhou is discussed, this paper holds that Qin Jiushao was on intimate terms with Wu Qian and Chen Zhensun, who were Huzhou. But Zhou Mi rated him unreasonably low. In order to look after his mother, Qin Jiushao lived in Huzhou, his former home was in Huishang. The people of Huzhou set a high value on Qin Jiushao at the end of Qing Dynasty.

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A History of the National Geological Library of China from the Stamps on Its Collected Books……ZHANG Er-ping

【Abstract】 The predecessor of the National Geological Library of China(NGCL) is the Geological Survey Library of the Ministry of Commerce and Agriculture set up in 1913. Textual research made by the author reveals that the primary collection of the Geological Survey Library had come from the Library of the Geological Institute of the Ministry of Commerce and Agriculture. For 85 years since its establishment, NSLC has been the premier geoscience library in China. This paper shows 11 stamps imprinted on the books of NSLC, and discusses the origin of these books and the historical development of the Library.

K. T. Wang and The Differentiation of Quaternion Functions……GUO Jin-hai

【Abstract】 As a scholar of the late Qing Dynasty and the early period of the Republic of China, K. T. Wang was graduated from the School of Astronomy and Mathematics of the Imperial College of the Same Language and Culture in 1895. After graduation from the School of Astronomy and Mathematics, he stayed on there and held the post of a head teacher. At the beginning of 20th century, K. T. Wang, who was then an official an amateur scholar of the late Qing government in England and Germany, continued to follow and study modern mathematics, and did research work. He successively published many papers on mathematics and electrical engineering. Among these papers, the one named "The Differentiation of Quaternion Functions", which appeared in Vol. 29, Section A, No. 4 of Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy in 1911, has been the earliest paper on modern mathematics contributed by a Chinese scholar so far.

A Study on He Yuanxi's Block-Printed Edition for Precious Mirror of the Four Elements……LI Zhao-hua

【Abstract】 In the process of calculating Zhu Shijie's Precious Mirror of the Four Elements (1303),the block-printed edition by He Yuanxi(1776-1829)is one of importance. Based on materials recorded in ancient works and Dai Xu's work Detailed Calculation for the Precious Mirror of the Four Elements (1488),this paper demonstrates that a copy of Zhu Shijie's work,which is now preserved by Prof. Li Di is the same as the edition of He Yuanxi.The copy kept by Prof. Li Di is a Jin-Xiang-Ben (small size format),in which there is a foreword written by Ruan Yuan (1764-1849).And some errors in its text are the same as those appearing in Dai's edition. All of these are consistent with He's edition.

Explanation and Naming of Meander Bank in China's Pre-Qin Days……WANG Ke-ling, PAN Sheng, SUN Xiao-ke

【Abstract】 In modern fluvial geomorphology, the banks of meander generally have two kinds: erosion bank and accumulation bank. There were also two corresponding words for them in ancient China. They are"Shi"and "Rui". Since then, those who studied classics have failed to give them specific explanations, so that the real meanings of the two words were missing. This paper searches the two words from pre-Qin historical documents, and analyses their meanings in the language situation of ancient Chinese with examples. It emphasizes the study that"Shi"is the erosion bank of the meander, and relative to it is"Rui", the accumulation bank. Therefore, the scientific history concerning the introduction to the meander in ancient Chinese geography can be set up.

Relevant Record of the Blind Fish in Yi Ban Lu……QIAN Xue-mei， LI Bin

【Abstract】 Some people held that the blind fish was first discovered in America in 1842,and that it was found in China 136 years afterwards. In fact, in 1839 at the latest the Qing naturalist Zheng Guangzu in his Yi Ban Lu had reported the fish and keenly recognized that it was the outcome of natural evolution of living things to adapt themselves to circumstances.