A History of the Division of Inorganic Chemistry, American Chemical Society John C. Bailar, Jr. University of Illinois. Urbana. IL 61801 When the American Chemical Society was founded in 1876, there were not enough members to justify the formation of divisions in the various subject matter areas. By the time the societv was a auarter of a centurv . old.. however, the number of a t the meetings became so large that simultaneous sessions seemed desirable. This expansion led to discussion of the formation of several divisions, and in 1903 a committee was appointed to consider the matter. This committee recommended that a divisional structure be established, with divisions of physical chemistry and electrochemistry; inorganic chemistry; organic chemistry; industrial chemistry and metallurgy; and agricultural, physiological, and sanitary chemistry. However, there was considerable opposition to the plan, chiefly because i t was felt that i t would lead to too much specialization. By 1904, however, i t was found absolutely necessary to hold simultaneous meetings. Also, small, specialized chemical organizations were being formed to meet the need for meetings in areas of specialization, such as electrochemistry and leather chemistry, and i t was evident that there was a demand from chemists in different lines of work who wished to meet together. There was also a strong feeling among the industrial chemists that they needed a strong organization to oublish a iournal of industrial chemistrv. T o resoond to thi;demilnd,-the Divisionof Industrial Chemistsand Chemical Eneineers was established at the 38th National Meeting of the society in June-July 1908. The formation of other divisions soon followed-Agricultural and Food, Fertilizer, Organic Chemistry, and the Division of Physical and Inorganic Chemistry. Whether inorganic chemistry was linked with physical because there were not enough chemists in either category to make two divisions or because the two were supposedly closely related is not known. In any event, the number of physical chemists grew much more rapidly than the number of inoreanic chemists. and within a few years the division consisted largely of physical chemists. Naturallv. the Droerams that the division oreanized reflected the ini&tsof this predominant group, &d within a few vears the inorganic chemists began to feel like stepchildren. - During the730's inorganic chkmistry showed signs of increasing vigor-the number of graduate students in that suhjec
