An unpublished idea of D. R. Hartree and its extension

Abstract

According to an unpublished suggestion ofHartree the improper integrals expressing the electromagnetic potentials should be interpreted in terms of polar coordinates around the singularity. It is shown that with the help of this suggestion the well-known relations of electrodynamics can be obtained in a consequent manner — and it is shown that when there might be doubt of how to interpret singularities — the physically correct interpretation can be obtained.