Il y a cent ans : Jean-Baptiste Dumas et la Convention du Mètre - article ; n°227 ; vol.63, pg 559-567

Louis Marquet

Description

Revue d'histoire de la pharmacie - Année 1975 - Volume 63 - Numéro 227 - Pages 559-567
A hundred years ago : Jean-Baptiste Dumas and the « Convention du Mètre » .
Dumas (1800-1884) is known as a great chemist, but at the end of his life, as Perpetual Secretary of the Paris Académie des Sciences, he played a very important part in the extension of the use of the Metric System.
In 1869, he asked the French Government to convoke an International Commission to make a new standard metre. This Commission met in 1872 and called for a diplomatic Conference which took place in Paris in 1875 and in which Dumas worked as representative of France and also chairman of the scientists commission. He managed with much talent and patience the discussions which led to the signature, on May 20th 1875, by representatives of 17 States, of the « Convention du Mètre » creating the International Bureau of Weights and Measures at the Pavillon de Breteuil near Sèvres.
In 1877, he became chairman of the French Section of the International Commission, working for the fabrication and calibration of the iridium-platinum new standards.
In 1880, he became member of the International Committee of Weights and Measures and chairman of the new French National Bureau of Weights and Measures. The same year, with Broch, Stas and Mouchez, Dumas calibrated three kilograms and the weight of one of them was found so approaching the weight of the old standard that it was choosen to be the new International Standard Kilogram, still preserved in the Pavillon de Breteuil.
9 pages
Source : Persée ; Ministère de la jeunesse, de l’éducation nationale et de la recherche, Direction de l’enseignement supérieur, Sous-direction des bibliothèques et de la documentation.

Sujets

• Médecine

Informations

• Publié par: Articles-de-la-societe-d-histoire-de-la-pharmacie
• Publié le: 01 janvier 1975
• Nombre de lectures: 66
• Langue: Français
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Louis Marquet

Il y a cent ans : Jean-Baptiste Dumas et la Convention du Mètre

In: Revue d'histoire de la pharmacie, 63e année, N. 227, 1975. pp. 559-567.

Abstract

A hundred years ago : Jean-Baptiste Dumas and the « Convention du Mètre » .

Dumas (1800-1884) is known as a great chemist, but at the end of his life, as Perpetual Secretary of the Paris Académie des

Sciences, he played a very important part in the extension of the use of the Metric System.

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Commission met in 1872 and called for a diplomatic Conference which took place in Paris in 1875 and in which Dumas worked

as representative of France and also chairman of the scientists commission. He managed with much talent and patience the

discussions which led to the signature, on May 20th 1875, by representatives of 17 States, of the « Convention du Mètre »

creating the International Bureau of Weights and Measures at the Pavillon de Breteuil near Sèvres.

In 1877, he became chairman of the French Section of the International Commission, working for the fabrication and calibration of

the iridium-platinum new standards.

In 1880, he became member of the International Committee of Weights and Measures and chairman of the new French National

Bureau of Weights and Measures. The same year, with Broch, Stas and Mouchez, Dumas calibrated three kilograms and the

weight of one of them was found so approaching the weight of the old standard that it was choosen to be the new International

Standard Kilogram, still preserved in the Pavillon de Breteuil.

Citer ce document / Cite this document :

Marquet Louis. Il y a cent ans : Jean-Baptiste Dumas et la Convention du Mètre. In: Revue d'histoire de la pharmacie, 63e

année, N. 227, 1975. pp. 559-567.

doi : 10.3406/pharm.1975.7468

http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/pharm_0035-2349_1975_num_63_227_7468