DEBIERNE ANDRE-LOUIS: (1874-1949) French chemist, often considered the discoverer of the element actinium. Manuscript D.S., A. Debierne (twice), one page, 4to, n.p., 9^th April 1948, in French. Debierne responds to a researcher's questionnaire entitled Enquete Mondiale ('World Enquiry') at the head, with the researcher's manuscript questions beneath, '1. Vos debuts scientifiques furent-il heureux ou difficiles? 2. Des moyens d'existence (un second metier ou une fortune personelle) vous permirent-ils de vous faire un nom dans la science ou ne vecutes-vous que de votre travail de laboratoire? 3. Quel ouvrage (ou quelle decouverte) vous fit-il le plus connaitre? Lequel considerez-vous comme votre chef d'oeuvre?' (Translation: '1. Were your scientific debuts happy or difficult? 2. Did the means of existence (a second job or a personal fortune) allow you to make a name for yourself in science, or do you only live from your laboratory work? 3. What work (or which discovery) made you most well-known? Which do you consider your masterpiece? ). Debierne provides his answers beneath, explaining that his first scientific research was conducted with Charles Friedel at the Sorbonne and following this 'Pierre Curie m'a demande d'etudier la preparation du Radium……et je suis reste son collaborateur et celui de Madame Curie......La vie pendant mon enfance avait ete tres difficile et mes etudes ont toujours ete faits dans des conditions peu favorables. Mes travaux principaux ont ete faits sur la Radioactivite et mon nom a ete mis en evidence par la decouverte de l'actinium, nouvel element radioactif, qui a donne son nom a la famille de l'actinium suite d'elements analogue a celle du Radium et du Thorium' (Translation: 'Pierre Curie asked me to study the preparation of Radium…….and I remained his collaborator and that of Madame Curie…….Life during my childhood had been difficult and my studies were always done in unfavourable conditions. My main work was done on Radioactivity and my name was highlighted by the discovery of actinium, a new radioactive element, which gave its name to the family of actinium, a series of elements similar to that of radium and thorium' ). Some very light, extremely minor age wear, VG