Chemists -- France -- Biography; Curie, Pierre, 1859-1906; Physicists -- France -- Biography
Nevertheless, a great joy came to me as a consequence of the victory
obtained by the sacrifice of so many human lives. I had lived, though I
had scarcely expected it, to see the reparation of more than a century
of injustice that had been done to Poland, my native country, and that
had kept her in slavery, her territories and people divided among her
enemies. It was a deserved resurrection for the Polish nation, which
showed herself faithful to her national memories during the long period
of oppression, almost without hope. The dream that appeared so difficult
to realize, although so dear, became a reality following the storm that
swept over Europe. In these new conditions I went to Warsaw and saw my
family again, after many years of separation, in the capital of free
Poland. But how difficult are the conditions of life of the new Polish
republic, and how complicated is the problem of reorganization after so
many years of abnormal life!
In France, partly devastated and suffering from the loss of so many of
her citizens, the difficulties created by the war are not yet effaced,
and the return to normal work is being attained only gradually. The
scientific laboratories feel this state of affairs and the same
condition prevails for the Radium Institute.
The various radiologic organizations created during the war still
partially exist. The Radiographic Nurses' School has been maintained at
the request of the Board of Health. The emanation service, which could
not be abandoned, is also continued in a considerably enlarged form. It
has passed under the direction of Doctor Regaud, Director of the Pasteur
Laboratory of the Radium Institute, and is developing into a great
national service of radiumtherapy.
The work of the laboratory has been reorganized, with the return of the
mobilized personnel and the students. But in the restrained
circumstances under which the country still exists, the laboratory lacks
ways and means for its efficient development. Particularly are wanted an
independent hospital for radiumtherapy (which is called _Curietherapy_
in France), and an experimental station, outside of Paris, for
experiments on great quantities of material, such as are needed for the
progress of our knowledge of radioactive elements.
I myself am no longer young, and I frequently ask myself whether, in
spite of recent efforts of the government aided by some private
donations, I shall ever succeed in building up for those who will come
after me an Institute of Radium, such as I wish to the memory of Pierre
Curie and to the highest interest of humanity.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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