RUBIN BORASKY ELECTRON MICROSCOPY COLLECTION, 1930-1988
#452

(5 cubic feet: 10 DB, 6 Shb)

by: Don Darroch and Robert S. Harding, 1994

Biography

Rubin Borasky (1910-1992) was born in Philadelphia, PA and was educated at Temple University (AB in 1932, AM in 1936, Ph. D. in 1950). He was employed as a teaching assistant at Temple 1932-1934 and as a teacher in Philadelphia secondary schools 1934-1939. Later he worked as a biologist and chemist in U. S. Department of Agriculture, as senior scientist (electron microscopy) for the General Electric Company and as electron micographer at the University of Illinois. He was a member of the Electron Microscopy Society of America and other professional societies in the field of electron microscopy.

Scope and Content

This material was collected by Mr. Borasky over a long period during which he worked in the field of electron microscopy.

Borasky's correspondence with many of the major figures in the field is included. Much of this correspondence was initiated by Borasky as a means of documenting the history of electron microscopy that he attempted to write over many years. The question of priority of invention and the many steps in development of these instruments are prominent elements of the correspondence.

The collection includes documentation of early events in the development and use of the electron microscope. Numerous reprints of articles, some by pioneers in the field, are supplemented by micrographs (photos) of various materials.

As part of the collection, more than 70 audio tapes were made by Mr. Borasky, recording interviews and lectures relating to microscopy and other matters. The quality of these recordings is generally not satisfactory, however.

Provenance

The collection was donated to NMAH by Charlotte S. Borasky 8/1/1992.

Container List


Box  Folder

Series 1: PERSONAL, 1948-1987

1 1 Notes, memoranda 1948-1987
2 Correspondence 1949-1984
3 Teaching materials n.d.
4 Borasky: Electronoscope Analysis Course Outline, C. 1966
5 Rubin Borasky publications 1949-1982
6 Rubin Borasky publications n.d.
2 7 "Pioneers" draft material 1965-1987
8 "Pioneers" draft material n.d.
9 Borasky attendance at two meetings on collagen, Europe 1963
10 Borasky notebook 1980-1982
11 Borasky notebook 1984
12 Borasky notebook 1984-1987

Series 2: SURVEYS OF COLLEAGUES AND RESPONSES, 1959-1982
3 1 Survey of 1959: correspondence and brief replies
2 Anderson, Thomas F.
3 Astbury, W. T.
4 Calbick, C. J.
5 Chapman, George B.
6 Comer, Joseph J.
7 Hillier, James
8 Marton, L.
9 Mudd, Stuart
10 Philpott, Delbert
11 Rochow, Theodore
12 Williams, Robley C.
13 Bell, S. H., 1963
14 Burton, E. F., 1966
15 Survey of 1981: correspondence and brief replies
16 Replies of EMSA members 1981-1982
17 Replies of Washington Society of EM members 1981-1982
18 Fullam, Ernest F., 1974-1982
19 Helin, Eleanor 1981
20 Ladd, William 1982
21 Tahmisian, Theodore N. 1982
22 Wyckoff, Ralph 1981
23 Biographical data on EM colleagues 1970-1982

Series 3: OTHER CORRESPONDENCE, 1940-1988

4 1 Craig, Richard E. 1984
2 de Broglie, Louis 1965-1986
3 Dupuoy, 1985
4 Fernandez-Moran, Humberto 1956-1985
5 McCrone, 1981-1982
6 Porter, Keith R. 1959-1982
7 Ruska, Ernest 1981
8 Zworykin, V. K. 1940-1981
9 Hawkes, Peter W. 1985-1988
10 Miscellaneous correspondence 1981-1986

Series 4: ELECTRON MICROSCOPY SOCIETIES, 1942-1974

5 1 Electron Microscopy Society of America 1942-1943
2 EMSA annual programs 1946-1974
3 EMSA annual reports, membership 1965-1974
4 EMSA Bulletin 1971-1974
5 EMSA Borasky correspondence 1947-1981
6 EMSA Bibliography correspondence 1946-1970
7 EM Bibliography 1946-1970
8 Washington Society of Electron Microscopy 1962
9 Philadelphia Electron Microscopy Society 1949-1965
10 Foreign societies and meetings 1951-1968

Series 5: DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATIONS OF ELECTRON MICROSCOPY, 1935-1986

6 1 Cytology; general 1954-1958
2 Embedding 1956
3 Dosimetry lectures 1952
4 Electron microscopy reviews 1948-1953
5 Electron stains 1942-1958
6 Bacteria 1949-1958
7 Electron diffraction 1946-1958
8 Fixation 1953-1958
9 Blood components 1946-1955
10 Bone and cartilage 1950-1955
11 Algae, yeast etc. 1953-1958
12 Autoradiography 1947-1958
13 Cell components; mitochondria etc. 1949-1958
14 Electron microscope gadgetry 1946-1958
15 Ultramicrotomy 1941-1957
16 Microtomy 1950-1963
7 17 Siemens electron microscope (captured in WWII) 1944-1974
18 Siemens EM; German documents 1940-1947
19 Wave mechanics and the electron microscope 1985-1986
20 Recipes for fixing and embedding tissues c.1962
21 Electron microscopy dental tissue; reprints 1946-1959
22 Electron microscopy; Fischer, Simonsen 1948
23 Polystyrene particles in space (NASA) 1984
24 Applications of the electron microscope 1940-1948
25 Resinography 1948-1964
26 Thin films and fibers 1940-1957
27 Electron microscope equipment photos 1935-1953
28 Electron micrographs c.1943-1953

Series 6: EARLY HISTORY OF ELECTRON MICROSCOPE, DRAFT MATERIALS, & CORRESPONDENCE, 1942-1987
8 1 Electron Microscope Histories 1942-1969
2 Electron Microscope Histories 1970-1987
3 Origin and Background of Invention of Electron Microscope;Reinhold Rudenberg 1959-1963
4 Origin of Magnetic Electron Microscope; Martin M. Freundlich (Correspondence) 1963
5 Correspondence; H. Gunther Rudenberg 1963-1987
6 Correspondence; Ernst Ruska 1981-1987
7 Other Correspondence 1960-1983
8 The Electron Microscope: Priority of Invention. Borasky 1978-1988

Series 7: SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS, 1930-1985
9 1930-1959
10 1960-1985

Series 8: AUDIO TAPES, 1971-1977

11 Interviews with Asa Arthur Schaeffer C.1971-1974 (15 cassettes)
12 Interviews with Asa Arthur Schaeffer C.1971-1974 (15 cassettes)
13 Interviews C.1971-1977 (13 cassettes)
14 Interviews, Lectures n. d. (13 cassettes)
15 Interviews n. d. (12 cassettes; blank cassettes [11])
16 Audio tapes (3 reels)
 

Don Darroch and Robert S. Harding, 3/10/1994


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Revised: August 17, 2000