8vo. (Apparently an ex-library copy with some remnants on lower flyleaf and a few pencil and ink markings, a few soft vertical creases.) Contemporary green buckram; quarter green morocco folding case. 

 

THE FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE DISCOVERY OF DNA -- THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF ALL LIFE -- THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT WORK IN THE HISTORY OF THE LIFE SCIENCES. 

 

FIRST EDITION, journal issue. Crick and Watson published four papers in 1953 regarding their discoveries; these first two papers were published within a few weeks of each other.  The first identifies the double helix structure; the second explains the specific nature of the double helix that allows for genetic transmission.  Despite remaining uncertainties about the unproved nature of that structure, Crick and Watson were confident enough to postulate that their discovery would “help to solve one of the fundamental biological problems -- the molecular basis of the template needed for genetic reproduction.” Also included in this volume are: Maurice WILKINS, A.R. STOKES and H.R. WILSON, "Molecular Structure of Deoxypentose Nucleic Acid," pp. 738-40 and Rosalind FRANKLIN, “Molecular Configuration in Sodium Thymonucleate," pp. 740-41. Dibner Heralds of Science 200; Garrison-Morton 256.3, 7138. 

 

[Boxed with:]

 

CRICK, Francis Harry Compton, Leslie BARNETT, S. BRENNER, and R. J. WATTS-TOBIN. “General Nature of the Genetic Code for Proteins.” In: Nature, Vol. 192, No. 4809, pp. 1227-1232. London: Fisher, Knight & Co., Ltd., for Macmillan & Co., Ltd., December 30, 1961. 

 

8vo. Original pictorial wrappers.  Provenance: Francis Otto Schmitt (1903-1995) Professor of Biology at MIT, pioneer in molecular biology and neuroscience (stamp on upper cover). FIRST EDITION, journal issue, describing the “elegant series of genetic experiments by which they proved that the genetic code for protein was a triplet code” (National Library of Medicine).