Abstract
FIFTY years ago, as Sir J. J. Thomson pointed out in his address at the inauguration of the Institute of Physics on April 27, there could be no profession of physics. There were a few laboratories—the oldest at the Royal Institution, founded by Count Rumford; the home of Young and Faraday, They could be counted almost on the fingers of the two hands. There were laboratories in Scottish universities. Kelvin was at work at Glasgow, Tait at Edinburgh, Balfour Stewart at Manchester, Carey Foster was teaching at University College, London, Clifton had built the Clarendon Laboratory at Oxford, Maxwell had only recently resigned his professorship at King's College (he went to Cambridge in 1871). The Cavendish Laboratory was being planned; the seventh Duke of Devonshire had written to the Vice-Charicellor:
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Physics a Profession. Nature 107, 289–290 (1921). https://doi.org/10.1038/107289a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/107289a0