Babbageʼs Calculating Machines, the Proteus From Postojna Cave, and the Carniolan Museum Society

Abstract

We verified some data in Shawʼs description of Babbageʼs visit to Postojna. To compare with, we calculated the exact date of Babbageʼs voyage from his own descriptions. We researched the motives for his interests in the Proteus anguinus. We described other Babbageʼs scientific activities at the time of his visit to Carniola. We claimed his surprising incompetence in geography. In Babbageʼs time, Carniolan scientific research of the Proteus anguinus began under Dežmanʼs leadership of the Museum Society. For the first time we researched the early Carniolan contribution to the Proteus research. We discussed possible reasons for the previous neglect of the Museum Society work and Dežmanʼs publications in particular.

Dopolnili smo Shawovo raziskovanje Babbagejevega obiska Postojne. Preverili smo čas Babbageovega popotovanja po Kranjski in skušali ugotoviti od kje njegovo zanimanje za postojnsko človeško ribico. Seznanili smo se s tedanjimi Babbagejevimi znanstvenimi hotenji in opozorili na njegovo domala smešno nepoznavanje geografije. Babbagejeve zmede s postojnskimi ribicami so sovpadale z prvimi domačimi preučevanji lastnosti le-teh pod okriljem Muzejskega društva za Kranjsko. Prvič v slovenskem zgodovinopisju opisujemo naravoslovna predavanja in pogovore o proteusu na mesečnih sestankih društva pod Dežmanovim vodstvom. Predstavili smo verjetne vzroke za dosedanje zapostavljanje delovanja Muzejskega društva in še posebej Dežmana.