Science & Mathematics - Overview
The Museum's collections hold thousands of objects related to chemistry, biology, physics, astronomy, and other sciences. Instruments range from early American telescopes to lasers. Rare glassware and other artifacts from the laboratory of Joseph Priestley, the discoverer of oxygen, are among the scientific treasures here. A Gilbert chemistry set of about 1937 and other objects testify to the pleasures of amateur science. Artifacts also help illuminate the social and political history of biology and the roles of women and minorities in science.
The mathematics collection holds artifacts from slide rules and flash cards to code-breaking equipment. More than 1,000 models demonstrate some of the problems and principles of mathematics, and 80 abstract paintings by illustrator and cartoonist Crockett Johnson show his visual interpretations of mathematical theorems.
"Science & Mathematics - Overview" showing 50 items.
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Academic Hood of Richard P. Baker
- Description
- This hood belonged to to Richard Philip Baker (1866–1937) who received his PhD in mathematics from the University of Chicago in 1910. The color of the velvet on the hood represents the type of doctorate awarded, with dark blue used for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. The color of the reverse (interior) side of the hood, maroon, represents the school that awarded the degree, i.e., the University of Chicago whose colors are maroon and white. A matching hood (1985.0820.03) was acquired by Baker’s daughter, Frances Ellen Baker (1902–1995), when she was awarded a PhD in mathematics from Chicago in 1934.
- R. P. Baker’s doctoral dissertation, The Problem of the Angle-Bisectors (1985.3145.01), was directed by E. H. Moore, while his daughter Frances’s doctoral dissertation, A Contribution to the Waring Problem for Cubic Functions, was directed by L. E. Dickson, E. H. Moore’s first doctoral student. R. P. Baker’s younger daughter, Gladys Elizabeth Baker (1908-2007) earned a doctorate, in botany and mycology from Washington University in St. Louis in 1935.
- R. P. Baker is best known in the mathematical community for constructing mathematical models that he believed were necessary for the proper teaching of geometry. His 1931 catalog offered several hundred models. Several museum accessions include models made by Baker. See MA*211257.04 for a description of one of these models.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1910
- date used
- 1910
- user
- Baker, Richard P.
- ID Number
- 1985.0820.02
- accession number
- 1985.0820
- catalog number
- 1985.0820.02
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Group Examination Beta
- Description
- At the time of World War I, American psychologists hoped to extend intelligence testing from children to adults. They persuaded the U.S. Army to test its recruits in order to weed out those mentally unfit for duty overseas. Tests were given to groups of soldiers, with paper and pencil replacing the puzzles and other objects used in earlier tests . Over 1.6 million soldiers took the exams. This 1918 form of the test was called the Army Beta Examination. It was designed for illiterates and those who spoke no English. Instructions were given by pantomime. In the portion of the test shown, inductees were asked to draw the missing part of the pictures.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1918
- maker
- Office of the Surgeon General. Division of Psychology
- ID Number
- 1990.0334.02
- accession number
- 1990.0334
- catalog number
- 1990.0334.02
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Burroughs Model 9 Adding Machine
- Description
- This full-keyboard manually operated printing adding machine has a metal frame painted black, a metal mechanism and handle, a green felt keyboard, and a glass front. There are six columns of number keys, with nine keys in each column. Some plastic key covers are missing. There are non-add, subtotal, and total keys. The sum appears on number wheels visible through the glass front of the machine and prints on a 2-1/2 inch paper tape at the back which is not visible. The machine is marked on the front: BURROUGHS (/) DETROIT, MICHIGAN. It is also marked there: No.6-157907.
- Alfred Harrell, the donor of the machine, was a Smithsonian photographer.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1912
- maker
- Burroughs Adding Machine Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0368.01
- accession number
- 1981.0368
- catalog number
- 1981.0368.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Golden Gem Adding Machine
- Description
- This small, stylus-operated non-printing adding machine has a black steel frame and seven metal chains. A stylus is placed in the link next to a digit and pulled down to the bottom of the column to enter the digit. Sums appear in seven windows above the chains. There is a clearance knob on the right side and a bent metal piece that can be used to prop up the instrument. The green leather case is stored with the instrument. The stylus is missing.
- The instrument is marked on a tag on the right edge of the top: GOLDEN GEM (/) ADDING MACHINE. It is marked on a tag on the left edge of the top: AUTOMATIC ADDING MACHINE MFRS. (/) NEW YORK, U.S.A.. It is marked on the bottom edge of the top: PAT. MAR.1-04-MAR.27-06-MAR.19-07 (/) UNITED STATES AND FOREIGN PATENTS PENDING. The serial number, stamped on the right side, is 400805.
- Compare to MA*323621.
- This example of the Golden Gem formerly belonged to John L. Newbold, father-in-law of the donor, who had owned Merchants Moving and Transfer Company.
- References:
- Ads in Scientific American, vol. 110, Jan. 17, 1914 (according to this ad, the machine cost $10 and over 80,000 in use); vol. 112, April, 1915, p. 370 (according to this ad, the machine still cost $10 and over 100,000 were in use).
- Accession file.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1910
- maker
- Automatic Adding Machine Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0935.01
- accession number
- 1981.0935
- catalog number
- 1981.0935.01
- maker number
- 400805
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Universal Magnetometer with Dip Circle
- Description
- This instrument is marked "D.T.M. C.I.W. N° 19." Designed and built by the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism of the Carnegie Institution of Washington in 1912, it incorporates an astronomical telescope and magnetometer for the determination of magnetic declination and horizontal intensity, and a dip circle with a Lloyd-Creak attachment for the determination of inclination and intensity. It is relatively light and easy to manipulate. It was used for a few years and then set aside when the universal magnetometer with earth inductor came into use.
- This magnetometer was probably transferred to the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey after the Carnegie Institution closed its geomagnetic program. The U.S. Geological Survey acquired it in 1973, when it took over the geomagnetic program of the federal government, and transferred it to the Smithsonian in 1982.
- Ref: J. A. Fleming, "Two New Types of Magnetometers Made by the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism of the Carnegie Institution of Washington," Terrestrial Magnetism 16 (1911): 1-12.
- Carnegie Institution of Washington, Land Magnetic Observations, 1911-1913 (Washington, D.C., 1915), pp. 7-8.
- Date made
- 1912
- maker
- Carnegie Institution of Washington. Department of Terrestrial Magnetism
- ID Number
- 1982.0671.03
- accession number
- 1982.0671
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Earth Inductor
- Description
- As scientists discovered that even the best dip circles gave unreliable results, they began using earth inductors to determine magnetic dip. In 1912, the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism of the Carnegie Institution of Washington developed a new earth inductor for use at sea. It has three key elements: an improved gimbal stand, a means for rotating the coil without disturbing the gimbal rings, and a sensitive galvanometer.
- This example is marked "D.T.M. C.I.W. E.I. N° 3." It is the third Carnegie marine earth inductor. When the Carnegie closed its program in terrestrial magnetism, it was lent to the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. The U.S. Geological Survey acquired it in 1973 when it took over the geomagnetic program of the federal government, and transferred it to the Smithsonian in 1982.
- Ref: J. A. Fleming, "Description of the C.I.W. Marine Earth
- Inductor," Terrestrial Magnetism 18 (1912): 39-45.
- C. W. Hewlett, "Report on the C.I.W. Marine Earth Inductor," Terrestrial Magnetism 18 (1912): 46-48.
- Date made
- 1912
- maker
- Carnegie Institution of Washington. Department of Terrestrial Magnetism
- ID Number
- 1982.0671.05
- accession number
- 1982.0671
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Universal Magnetometer with Earth Inductor
- Description
- This instrument was designed and produced by the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism of the Carnegie Institution of Washington. Unlike the Carnegie's original universal magnetometer, this one is equipped with an earth inductor to determine dip. It is marked "DEPARTMENT TERRESTRIAL MAGNETISM Carnegie Institution of Washington E.I. - M. No. 28." It was completed in 1914 and used in many locations around the world. The U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey used it in South and Central America in the early 1940s. The U.S. Geological Survey acquired it in 1973, when that agency took charge of the federal program in geomagnetism, and transferred it to the Smithsonian in 1982.
- Ref: J. A. Fleming and J. A. Widner, "Description of the C.I.W. Combined Magnetometer and Earth Inductor," Terrestrial Magnetism 18 (1913): 105-110.
- Carnegie Institution of Washington. Department of Terrestrial Magnetism. Land Magnetic Observations, 1911-1913 (Washington, D.C., 1915), pp. 9-12.
- U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, Magnetic Observations in the American Republics 1941-44 (Washington, D.C., 1946), p. 16.
- Date made
- 1914
- maker
- Carnegie Institution of Washington. Department of Terrestrial Magnetism
- ID Number
- 1982.0671.07
- accession number
- 1982.0671
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Burroughs Class 4 Adding Machine
- Description
- This full keyboard printing electric adding machine has a metal frame painted black and ten columns of color-coded black, white, and red plastic keys. It has function keys left of the number keys and an addition bar and other function keys to the right. The keyboard is covered with green felt. There is a row of number dials at the front of the machine, as well as a row of five small dials between the keyboard and the lower dials on the left. The machine has a motor underneath it, and a wide carriage.
- The printing mechanism is at the back. It has 11 type bars (one of these is probably for symbols). Part of the back cover is missing and there is no stand. The machine is marked on a red tag attached to the object: PATENT DEPT. (/) #34. Thus it is model #34 in the collection of the Patent Division of Burroughs Corporation.
- The Burroughs Class 4 was introduced in 1912. This model demonstrates improvements in the double ribbon mechanism invented by John H. Magnus, a Burroughs inventor.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1912
- maker
- Burroughs Adding Machine Company
- ID Number
- 1982.0794.03
- catalog number
- 1982.0794.03
- accession number
- 1982.0794
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Burroughs Experimental Adding Machine
- Description
- The Burroughs Adding Machine Company made most of its profits on adding machines that had one column of nine keys for each digit of a number (these are called full-keyboard adding machines). Members of the Patent Department also experimented with machines having only ten keys for entering numbers. This is an example of such an experiment.
- The manually operated printing adding machine allows one to enter numbers with up to nine digits and print nine-digit results. It has an additional column of symbol keys in the output. The frame of the case is metal painted black, the sides are of glass. One of these sides is missing. Ten black numeral keys are arranged in two rows. The six white function keys are for subtotal, non-add, backspace, non-print, repeat and error (a seventh function key has key stem only). A row of numeral wheels above indicates the sum. The keyboard is covered with green felt. A dial-shaped place indicator is on the right front. The machine has a 10 3/8”- wide carriage. There is a paper tape, but no ribbon was located. A metal handle with wooden knob painted black is on the right.
- The machine is marked on the front: BURROUGHS. It is marked on a metal tag above the keyboard: B.A.M.CO. (/) MODEL (/) NO. 106. A metal tag attached to the object reads: DONATED TO (/) The Smithsonian Institution (/) by (/) Burroughs Corporation.
- This machine resembles the drawing in A. A. Horton’s United States patent 1,323,475, but is not precisely the same. Horton applied for the patent in 1911 and was granted it in 1919. According to a note with the patent application, a patent originally was applied for July 31, 1911. It was allowed May 19, 1917, but forfeited to prevent publicity of the invention in view of wartime conditions that prevented filing a patent application in Germany. The application was renewed May 15, 1919, and issued December 21, 1919.
- The machine is from the collection of the Patent Division of Burroughs Corporation.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1911
- maker
- Burroughs Adding Machine Company
- ID Number
- 1982.0794.13
- accession number
- 1982.0794
- catalog number
- 1982.0794.13
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Arithstyle Adding Machine
- Description
- This small metal instrument has nine columns of chains. The two rightmost are silver-colored, the next three copper-colored, the next three silver-colored, and the leftmost copper-colored. In back of the chains are nine numeral wheels with the digits from 0 to 9 on them. Digits are marked in red and in black on plastic strips to the right and to the left of the chains. A zeroing wheel is on the right side. A movable metal decimal marker is attached to the machine between the chains and the numeral wheels. The metal stand has a rubber covering along the two edges of its base. The black wooden case is covered with leather and lined with fabric-covered paper.
- The machine is marked on a plastic inset in front of the chains: GOLDMAN’S (/) ARITHSTYLE (/) TRADE-MARK (/) Copyright. 1911. by Arithstyle Company. It is marked on the back: 11790. It is marked on the lid: Arithstyle Company (/) NEW YORK CITY.
- The Arithstyle was the invention of Henry Goldman, who was born in Vienna in 1859, came to the United States in 1881, and published on improved bookkeeping and office machines. By 1898, he had invented his own adding machine, dubbed the arithmachine, which he manufactured in Chicago. In 1905, Goldman left the Unted States for Berlin, where he arranged to have his adding machine manufactured as the Contostyle. The Arithstyle was a similar machine, manufactured in New York on Goldman's design. Goldman died in New York in 1912.
- For instructions, see 1983.0170.02.
- Reference:
- P.A. Kidwell, "'Yours for Improvement' - The Adding Machines of Chicago, 1884-1930," IEEE Annals of the History of Computing, 23 #1, 2001, pp. 3-21.
- "Henry Goldman," Buero-Industrie, 1914, #13.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1911
- maker
- Arithstyle Company
- ID Number
- 1983.0170.01
- accession number
- 1983.0170
- catalog number
- 1983.0170.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center