Lazarev

LAZAREV Petr Petrovich (born in 1879), known physicist, biophysicist, and physical-chemist. Graduated from the medical faculty of Moscow University in 1901, and in 1902 passed state examinations externally in the mathematics department of the physics-mathematics faculty. For some time he was an assistant in the clinic of diseases of the ear, throat, and nose. Returning to Russia from Strasbourg, where he worked with Brown, L. became one of the closest colleagues of the famous physicist P. I. Lebedev. In 1910, L. received the degree of Master, in 1912--the degree of Doctor of Physics, and was elected professor at the Moscow Higher Technical School. In 1917, L. was elected an ordinary academician. At present, he is director of the Institute of Physics and Biophysics of the People's Commissariat of Health (since 1919) and the State X-ray Institute (since 1924). L.'s research relates to molecular physics, geophysics, biophysics, and photochemistry. Of greatest importance are the numerous studies of L. in the field of the ionic theory of excitation (see) of sense organs. In questions of theoretical natural science, L. is a mechanist. L. has written many books, brochures, and articles, in which he popularized both his own research and the achievements of Soviet and foreign science. L. is editor of several special and general scientific journals, chairman of scientific societies, and corresponding member of foreign academies. L. is a major organizer in the field of applied physics: he headed the commission for the study of the Kursk magnetic anomaly, organized new production of X-ray equipment in the USSR, etc. It should be emphasized here that L. was one of the first major scientists who immediately after the October Revolution began to work actively with the Soviet government. L. was the organizer of KUBUV (Commission for the Improvement of the Living Conditions of Scientist Physicians), actively worked in CEKUBUV, in particular repeatedly gave popular science reports in workers' clubs. L.'s main works--see lit. to the article Ionic theory of excitation. In addition, he owns the "Doctrine of the chemical action of light" (parts 1-3, P., 1919-20).