MURCHISON IN POLAND: AN EXAMPLE OF INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH

Roderick Murchison's contributions to 19th century geology included identifying the Silurian, Devonian and Permian Systems, compiling geologic maps of Britain, Russia and Europe, and publishing >180 scientific papers and 3 major books (Silurian System, The Geology of Russia and Siluria). Murchison's prodigious scientific output resulted from his abundant energy, networking skills, and mastery of logistics. Murchison's fieldwork methodology enabled rapid progress when mapping large areas and consisted of corresponding in advance of a trip, assembling publications and maps covering the field areas, networking with local experts, visiting fossil collections, arranging for geological traveling companions to confirm his findings, and promptly announcing results both at meetings and in print. A good example of this methodology in action was his 1843 Poland campaign. He was aware of the Polish work of Ami Boué and Leopold von Buch and his route took him from Paris where he met Boué, to Berlin where he met von Buch and others. He then traveled to Warsaw where he met the geologist Professor Zejszner and the mining proprietor, Mr. Evans. He was accompanied by both Evans and Zejszner to the Holy Cross Mountains where he mapped Silurian, Devonian and Permian rocks. He then traveled to Krakow and the Carpathian Mountains with Professor Zejszner where he utilized the geognostic map of Zejszner and the cross-section of Boué to analyze the regional stratigraphy. After returning to Krakow, Murchison and Zejszner traveled to Carboniferous localities where he met Professor Pusch at the Gleiwitz coal field. Murchison recorded his observations during the Poland campaign in field notebooks, letters to his wife, and a personal diary. Many of his findings were first announced at the British Association and the Geological Society and published in full in The Geology of Russia (1845). Murchison benefited from the detailed knowledge provided by local geologists. They in turn benefited by Murchison introducing them to the modern geologic time scale and stratigraphic systems.