Applied science and the development of radiotherapy—past, present and future. The Silvanus Thompson Memorial Lecture

Abstract

The first of these Memorial Lectures was given 50 years ago by Sir Ernest, later Lord, Rutherford, two years after the death of Silvanus Thompson. One can only feel very humble when one reads the list of lecturers and realises what a great honour it is to be invited to be one. The University of Bristol is a particularly appropriate place because Silvanus Thompson became Professor of Physics here—in 1878. Seven years later he became Principal and Professor of Applied Physics in the City and Guilds Finsbury College and held these appointments until his death. Professor Allsopp told me that when he took the subject of Silvanus Thompson himself, in 1965, he hoped to absolve subsequent lecturers from spending time on historical details and suggested that I used all the time available to speak about my own work. However, in paying tribute to Silvanus Thompson as the first President of the Roontgen Society, I would like to emphasise that he was not only an outstanding scientist, lecturer, teacher and writer, but...