Editors' Column A Bit of History—The Story of a Motto In 1927,1. M. Kolthoff wrote his pioneering book "Die Massanalyse" (Springer, Berlin, 1927), which was dedicated as follows: "Meinem Lehrer Prof. N. Schoorl gewidmet unter dem Motto Die Théorie lietet, das Experiment entscheidet." The English translation likewise carried a dedication, "To my teacher, Professor N. Schoorl," and the motto "Theory Guides, Experiment Decides." In subsequent years, the motto has been widely quoted, but there has been ambiguity as to whether it originated with Schoorl or with Kolthoff. In a biographical sketch of Kolthoff [Talanta, 11, 67 (1964)], J. J. Lingane spoke of Schoorl's motto, whereas in an introduction of Professor Kolthoff at the J. Willard Gibbs Medal award banquet in 1964, I attributed the motto to Kolthoff. In one instance the ambiguity was neatly sidestepped by reference to the motto of "a famous Dutch analytical chemist"! In 1974 when Walter Harris and I decided to dedicate the second edition of "Chemical Analysis" [McGraw Hill,
1975] to Professor Kolthoff, he gave us permission to use his book plate, and suggested the use of "my motto," a suggestion that we eagerly accepted. Recently, on the occasion of Kolthoff's 85th birthday, in the University of Minnesota Institute of Technology magazine ITEMS (Vol. 5, No. 2, Winter 1979], the Gibbs medal introduction appeared in print for the first time, and the editor appended a footnote, "The attributing of the now widely known motto to Professor Schoorl is thought to be correct. Certainly Dr. Kolthoff was the major Contributor to its wide usage." To settle the matter, I wrote to Kolthoff and received the reply (March 5, 1979), "It is really mine and not a motto from Schoorl. As a matter of fact, I do recall quite well that at the few times he and I did some work together in the lab, he always got irritated when I would say, 'This is quite unexpected, why does it work?' He then would reply, 'It works, that should satisfy you'." The following is from a letter dated
April 25, 1979. "Schoorl was the most modest humanitarian and outstanding scientist I have known. Among lots of other courses he gave one in microscopy and microchemistry. In 1916 or 1917 he wanted in his microchem scheme to replace H2S with 'his' Al system (to precipitate most of the metals which yield insoluble sulfides). I had promised to work with him for a few weeks to check the system. I believe that it was Zn which was not precipitated and I said, 'Why on earth does it not precipitate, it should.' Whereupon Schoorl: 'You, always with your 'why', it does not precipitate. . .' He was mad—and I must then have fabricated 'the motto'." Finally, I also sent copies of my exchange of correspondence to Professor Lingane, and he replied (March 20, 1979) in part: "Because 'Die Massanalyse' was dedicated to his teacher, Professor N. Schoorl, 'unter dem Motto,' I assumed (incorrectly) that the motto was Schoorl's. Mea culpa! I guess the important point is that Piet inculcated this excellent principle in all of us who have worked with him, and that we in turn have passed on to our students." H. A. Laitinen
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ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. 5 1 , NO. 8, JULY 1979 · 887 A
