Specificity of discoveries in radiochemistry

The development of radiochemistry as a science is elucidated. On the basis of original papers and archives materials which have become available only recently, specific features of opening the law of radioactive displacements and isotopy of radioactive elements are presented in detail. A contribution of Hevesy, Russel, Fajans, and Soddy into the solution of this problem is considered; an important role of Rutherford in putting down the priority conflict is shown. Two stages of scientific generalization are singled out in the history of opening the law of radioactive displacements: the stage of the rules and the stage of the laws. On this basis the solutions of the priority problems have been reconsidered. It is shown that the history of radiochemistry is rich in discoveries which have undergone a relatively long evolution