A recently acquired 19th-century Chinese steelyard or so-called “opium balance” with an 11” ivory beam and accompanying “teardrop” storage case
Issue 39 briefly outlines the history and principles underlying traditional single pan or “steelyard” balances and illustrates their evolution using examples from our museum collections.
Click here for all other issues of Notes from The Oesper Collections and to explore the Jensen-Thomas Apparatus Collection.
Our recently acquired bust of Epicurus
(341-270 BC)
Issue 38 describes a recently acquired bust of the Greek philosopher Epicurus and his importance to the history of atomism.
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Read Source, the online newsletter, to learn more about the news, events, people and happenings in UC Libraries.
This latest issue of Source includes an article announcing the new UC academic press, a Q&A about a new position in the Office of Research, and A Note from the Dean: IFLA Coming to Cincinnati. Updates to library websites are showcased in A New Look at Digital Collections and in an article about the Neil A. Armstrong display and website. There are two articles about recent awards – the Provost Technology Innovation Awards and Recognizing Library Student Workers. Read these articles and more.
Source is available on the web at http://libapps.libraries.uc.edu/source/ and via e-mail. To receive Source via e-mail, contact melissa.norris@uc.edu to be added to the mailing list.
The mysterious antique bottle of “sulfur iodide.”
Issue 37 explores the consequences of trying to determine the true contents of an antique bottle of so-called “sulfur iodide” recently donated to the museum.
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Modern photograph of Airbase A-92, Brustem.
Photo credit: Sue Carney.
By: Nathan Hood
While the University of Cincinnati’s 25th General Hospital was departing for the World War II European Theater of Operations in the early 1940’s, Germany had already invaded Belgium and had secured a small, Belgian military airbase in the village of Brustem. Brustem remains today as a part of the Sint Truiden community (also known in French as Saint-Trond) and exists only a handful of miles North-West of the Belgian Caserne buildings in Tongres which were occupied by the University of Cincinnati 25th General Hospital beginning in 1945.
An overview of OSHA’s rating system for laboratory chemicals
Issue 36 provides a brief insight into the history of labeling chemical bottles.
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Hans Jaffé (1919-1989)
Issue 35 recounts the recent discovery of a plaster model of the electron density of naphthalene discovered in the bottom drawer of one of the filing cabinets belonging to the late Hans Jaffé, who served as the UC chemistry department’s specialist in quantum mechanics from 1954-1989.
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Dr. William B. Jensen has added three new Museum Booklets to the series on the history of chemical apparatus. These new titles are:
Each booklet contains several photos and illustrations of the chemical instruments and people involved in these aspects of chemistry history. You can access all the booklets by clicking here.
A surviving set of “spirit bubbles:” for testing the
proof of alcoholic beverages.
Issue 34 explores some of the curious uses of glass balls to approximate the density of liquids.
Click here for all other issues of Notes from The Oesper Collections and to explore the Jensen-Thomas Apparatus Collection.
Our recently acquired Youden null-point pH meter. The Moir electrode system, minus one of the salt bridges, is to the left and a circa 1940 bottle of quinhydrone is displayed between it and the meter.
Issue 33 describes a recently acquired compact pH meter from the 1940s that uses a quinhydrone electrode, rather than either a hydrogen electrode or a standard glass electrode.
Click here for all other issues of Notes from The Oesper Collections and to explore the Jensen-Thomas Apparatus Collection.