Chronicle

In the Soviet Union

New Instruments

1. A three-color colorimeter for measuring the color of transparent, opaque, and turbid objects has been designed at the Gorky All-Union Institute of Experimental Medicine (VIEM), under the direction of Prof. N. T. Fedorov.

The instrument is not inferior in measurement accuracy to similar foreign colorimeters and to the GOI colorimeter, while at the same time being considerably cheaper than the latter.

The experimental workshops of VIEM have already produced the first series of these instruments, in a quantity of 10 units. At present a second series, of 25 units, is being produced.

1. An electrothermometer for determining cavity and surface temperatures. At the VIEM clinic, engineer L. N. Shteingauz has developed and built a number of portable and compact models of electrothermometers for rapid and accurate measurements of cavity and surface temperatures. The instruments are based on the bridge method of measuring the electrical resistance of a conductor with a high and constant temperature coefficient. The construction of the instruments is original. The instruments may become widely used in research and clinical practice. The latest model of the compact thermometer makes it possible to measure the temperature of the skin or another surface with an accuracy of up to 0.1° within 15–20 seconds. The instruments are being produced serially by the experimental workshops of VIEM.

One Hundred Years Since the Birth of A. G. Stoletov

On July 29, 1939, one hundred years were completed since the birth of A. G. Stoletov, a major scholar who made a great contribution to the development of physics and physical education in Russia. A. G. Stoletov’s scientific and pedagogical activity took place at Moscow University. A characterization of Stoletov as a scholar, professor, and public figure will be given in the next issue of Uspekhi Fizicheskikh Nauk.

Conference

On June 19 the Moscow Spectroscopic Conference opened. The conference lasted several days. Reports were delivered by representatives of the optical laboratories of Moscow State University and of the Physical Institute of the Academy of Sciences, the Laboratory of the Structure of Matter of the Karpov Physico-Chemical Institute, as well as by workers of factory laboratories and applied institutes. Both theoretical communications and results of practical and experimental work were heard at the conference. The last day of the conference was specially devoted to communications on experience in the application of spectral analysis at a number of Moscow factories.