s issued in 1875, appear
longer, separate publications consisting of monographs (occasionally in
several parts) and volumes in which are collected works on related
subjects. _Bulletins_ are either octavo or quarto in size, depending on
the needs of the presentation. Since 1902 papers relating to the
botanical collections of the Museum of Natural History have been
published in the _Bulletin_ series under the heading _Contributions from
the United States National Herbarium_, and since 1959, in _Bulletins_
titled "Contributions from the Museum of History and Technology," have
been gathered shorter papers relating to the collections and research of
that Museum.

The present collection of Contributions, Papers 34-44, comprises
Bulletin 240. Each of these papers has been previously published in
separate form. The year of publication is shown on the last page of each
paper.

FRANK A. TAYLOR _Director, United States National Museum_

CONTRIBUTIONS FROM
THE MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY:
PAPER 40

HISTORY OF PHOSPHORUS

_Eduard Farber_

THE ELEMENT FROM ANIMALS AND PLANTS 178

EARLY USES 181

CHEMICAL CONSTITUTION OF PHOSPHORIC ACIDS 182

PHOSPHATES AS PLANT NUTRIENTS 185

FROM INORGANIC TO ORGANIC PHOSPHATES 187

PHOSPHATIDES AND PHOSPHAGENS 189

NUCLEIN AND NUCLEIC ACIDS 192

PHOSPHATES IN BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES 197

MEDICINES AND POISONS 198

_Eduard Farber_

HISTORY OF PHOSPHORUS

_The "cold light" produced by phosphorus caused it to be
considered a miraculous chemical for a long time after its
discovery, about 1669. During the intervening three centuries
numerous other chemical miracles have been found, yet
phosphorus retains a special aura of universal importance in
chemistry. Many investigators have occupied themselves with
this element and its diverse chemical compounds. Further
enlightenment and insight into the ways of nature can be
expected from these efforts._

_Not only is the story of phosphorus a major drama in the
history of chemistry; it also illustrates, in a spectacular
example, the growth of this science through the discovery of
connections between apparently unrelated phenomena, a