ACS OFFICIAI REPORTS 1951
Chemical Abstracts
As a measure of economy and to provide better margins a small change in the format of CA was made at the beginning of 1951. T h e over-all size of the page was returned to the size used during the period 1934-43, while the type page was made about 9% larger. During the war year 1944, when an acute paper shortage developed, margins were radically reduced to save paper. Economy is always good and, as t h e price of paper in t h e postwar years w a s climbing, the wartime narrow margins were retained to the end of 1950. However, as the volumes became thicker, the index part in particular, and as unfavorable binding experiences multiplied, it became evident that the page margins, especially those inside (the gutter margins), needed widening. CA receives hard usage and many have occasion to rebind with additional trimming. It w a s decided again to adopt the 1 9 3 4 - 4 3 over-all page, but to compromise on margins by increasing the type page. This has solved the margin trouble and has saved money at the same time. Abstracts during the past year have filled 5 3 4 0 of the new larger pages. Abstracts of papers have averaged 11.6 per page and abstracts of patents have averaged 12.9 per page. These figures cannot b e compared directly with corresponding figures of last year because of t h e change in t h e size of the page, but it can b e said that the average lengths of these two kinds of abstracts have remained approximately t h e same during 1951 as for the preceding year. The new pricing plan for CA went into effect at the beginning
T O U R I N G 1951 for the first time in the 45-year life of Chemical *~* Abstracts the single-year output of published abstracts of papers has exceeded 50,000. The exact number of such abstracts for the past year was 50,657. In addition, 10,417 abstracts of patents were published, making the total number for the year 61,074. During last year 5 7 new journals and 1957 new or revised books were announced. Since CA endeavors completely to cover chemistry a n d chemical engineering, these figures for abstracts and titles provide a rough measure of research and publishing activities b y chemists during their busiest year. Science is thriving, but t h e situation would b e healthier, to the benefit of all, if restrictions on publication and on the distribution of published information could he limited b y wiser control. The sharing of information by publication is the lifeblood of science. Since the low point reached in 1945 there has been, through 1951, an increase o f \22.7r in the number of abstracts of papers published b y CA. I n view of the fact that 1945 was the last year of World War II this figure provides some measure of recovery from war as well a s of general progress in chemistry. Since 1945 was an abnormal year perhaps a better measure of general increase in chemical research activity is to be found in t h e increase in the number of abstracts over the past five years ( 1 9 4 7 - 5 1 ) . This increase has amounted t o 66% or the equivalent of about 13^r per year. There are signs of a little leveling of 1951. For many years the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY had off in the curve representing this steep climb. During t h e two periods discussed in the preceding paragraph been able to distribute CA for considerably less than cost price. pages of index published annually by CA have increased 136% T h e subscription price to members of t h e ACS was only about (seven years) and 79^ (five years), respectively. These figures, half t h e cost of producing what they received. Owing t o the compared with t h e 122 c \ and 66rr figures given above, reflect growth in chemical literature and to increasing costs it became the strong effort which CA has been making to keep its indexes necessary to put the journal more nearly on a self-sustaining thorough as well a s thoroughly effective. Abstracts are built with basis, with one price for multiple-use subscribers and a lower full indexing in mind. Significant information can b e buried on price for ACS members wishing to subscribe for the journal for library shelves if individual abstracts are not adequate, or buried personal use only. It is a matter of much gratification to those within an extensive abstract journal if indexing is not thorough responsible for the production of CA to b e able to report that the new pricing plan is regarded as a success. and properly done. The 1951 edition of CA averaged a little over 20,200 copies W h e n completed the annual indexes to CA for 1951 will cover approximately 270O ol our large, fine-print pages, where no leads per number. Because of this large edition, because many help are used between the lines. This figure would have been almost generously in t h e production of CA, and because of nonprofit 3 0 0 0 pages had w e not adopted a larger page during t h e past operation with careful economy, those w h o pay the higher subyear. An unfortunate by-product of the growth of our indexes scription price still got a real bargain. Nonmeniber purchasers of has been t h e necessity o f splitting the Subject Index so that the CA in 1951 paid only a little over 5 cents* per 10,000 words, a latter portion of i t appears with the Formula Index and the figure which is about one-sixth the price of chemical journals in Numerical Patent Index in a second part. A single subject index general calculated on a wordage basis. With the annual indexes as well as abstracts counted, CA now publishes during each year volume would provide too b i g a bite for practicable binding. Faults as well a s good accomplishments should appear in an- about 10 times as many words as does the average scientific nual reports. The Dee. 25 number of CA, devoted to the Sub- journal. The List of Periodicals Abstracted by Chemical Abstracts is ject. Formula, and Numerical Patent Indexes, will not appear until late summer. This lateness is, in part, to b e attributed to being revised and it will b e published as a part of the 1951 volthe rapid growth o f chemical literature and to the very thorough ume of CA, its place of appearance being at the end of the Subindexing above-mentioned, but more particularly the delay has ject Index number. The List will again contain a key to library resulted from the necessity of using certain of our trained in- files. It is expected that there will be at least 5500 currently apdexera for the 27-year Collective Formula Index now nearing pearing periodicals in the List, along with information concerncompletion. The Collective Formula Index is a big and exact- ing many discontinued periodicals or those whose names have ing task which c a m e at a bad time. Adequate training for scien- been changed. tific indexing takes years of effort and experience. Quality canCA has never made it a practice to operate with a backlog not be sacrificed f o r speed. W e recognize the importance of hav- of abstracts. During the life of the journal it has been the pracing indexes in the hands of the users of CA at the earliest pos- tice almost invariably to clear the decks once every half month, sible time and h o p e to get back on our former prompter schedule except for a f e w abstracts held because of questions or for some before too long a time. other special reason. It is necessary to report that 1951 was The first of the two volumes of the Collective Formula Index completed with a considerable backlog of organic abstracts which appeared in May of 1951. The second volume will be finished had to b e held over because of some special circumstances. These by the middle of 1952. Ten-year collective formula indexes abstracts will n o w be published as rapidly as «possible. are planned for t h e future. The nature and position of CA often gets its editor and someDuring the past few years CA has worked out and applied a times some of his helpers involved in activities related with varymethod of using wire recorders in the compilation of its annual ing degrees of directness to regular journal duties. These activisubject indexes. It was originally thought that this method would ties are interesting, bothersome, helpful, time-consuming, desirhardly work for t h e indexing of complex chemical compounds able, troublesome, important, often necessary, and usually un( b y systematic names and b y formulas), but during the past year avoidable. They should b e the source of growth and it is hoped this kind of use o f the method has been attempted with full that they are. Sometimes CA gains and sometimes the staff has success. T h e method saves much time for the trained and ex- an opportunity to be helpful to others. It is difficult to keep such perienced indexers. activities within bounds, and the staff cannot always b e as active
798
CHEMICAL
A N D ENGINEERING
NEWS
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL A N D COLLOID CHEMISTRY as it would like in related activities. The nature of some of the activities is suggested: nomenclature, mechanization, transliteration, U N E S C O , photocopying, compendia, other abstract journals, printing methods, abbreviation standardization, library holdings, Government needs, the American Documentation Institute, and exchanges. The year 1951 seems to have been unusually full of demands of this sort.
CA
Statistics
1951 Abstracts Abstracts of Papers of Patents No. of No. of No. of No. of Pages Abstracts Pages Abstracts Apparatus, Plant Equip· ment, and Unit Operations General and Physical Chemistry Electronic Phenomena and Spectra Nuclear Phenomena Electrochemistry Photography Inorganic Chemistry Analytical Chemistry Mïneralogîcal and Geological Chemistry Metallurgy and Metallography Organic Chemistry Biological Chemistry Poods Chemical Industry and Miscellaneous Industrial Products Water, Sewage, and Sanitation Soils and Fertilizers Pesticides and CropControl Agents The Fermentation Industries Pharmaceuticals, Cosmetics, and Perfumes Acids, Alkalies, Salts, and Other Heavy Chemicals Glass, Clay Products, Refractories, and Enameled Metals Cement, Concrete, and Other Building Materials Fuels and Carbonization Products Petroleum, Lubricants, and Asphalt Cellulose and Paper Explosives and Explosions Dyes and Textile Chemistry Paints, Varnishes, and Lacquers Fats, Fatty Oils, Waxes, and Detergents Sugar, Starch, and Gums Leather and Glue Rubber and Other Elastomers Synthetic Resins and Plastics Books New Journals Headings, blanks, and cross references
VOLUME
3 0,
58.8
1027
418.4
5135
184.5 127.3 60.6 16.0 56.3 148.0
2231 2013 788 158 574 1886
91.1
1484
155.1 1024.2 1077.5 103.1
12.7
292
4.7 2.3 22.8 40.1
63 25 376 301
.9
12
2038 5206 14518 1435
39.0 204.8 3.6 17.5
666 2074 49 287
22.5
519
20.5
278
41.4 50.9
686 664
4.4 2.4
93 44
87.4
1218
23.2
265
25.7
392
3.9
65
106.2
1598
29.0
399
13.4
203
31.4
499
55.0
781
13.4
241
15.1
227
8.6
150
55.9
795
24.5
308
57.2 58.0
777 727
57.0 16.4
788 245
10.2
133
2.5
52
47.8
658
72.0
840
30.5
434
19.3
265
45.5
677
19.6
286
23.9 20.0
349 240
5.9 2.8
77 42
51.1
575
19.7
294
40.2 4378.8 35.8 3.0
511 50.657 1959 57
82.2 807.1
1041 10,417
115.3
O.
8 » » FEBRUARY
2 5,
CA suffered grievous loss during 1951 in the death of Erwin Scherubel on Jan. 25 and of Ralph W . Bost on Sept. 22. Dr. Scherubel had been active first as an abstractor and then as section editor in charge of "Fats, Fatty Oils, Waxes, and Detergents" since the beginning of CA in 1907. H e was section editor for 43 years. Dr. Bost had been a member of the CA organic advisory board since 1946. M. M. Piskur, an abstractor w h o deserved promotion, has taken Dr. Scherubel's place. Another faithful worker for CA helpfully active since the beginning of this journal is Colin G. Fink, who has now retired from active duty as an abstractor and section editor in charge of "Electrochemistry" in favor of J. S. Smatko. Dr. Fink is still a valued adviser. His consistently good work for CA during his 45 years of service deserves the gratitude of all electrochemists and of many others. T. H. Chilton, in charge of our section on "Chemical Industry and Miscellaneous Industrial Products" during the period 1 9 4 5 - 5 0 and a very good abstractor before that, resigned at the beginning of 1951 because of pressure of other work in favor of C. L. Mantell, long an excellent abstractor. C. J. Lambertsen, because of work which took him to Europe, gave up his useful work in charge of "Pharmacology" t o R. H. Kough. Paul A. Parent joined the staff of section editors to cooperate with Charles A. Rouiller, in charge of the section on "Organic Chemistry," and J. H. Jackson joined D. J. Demorest and Ο. Ε. Harder in charge of "Metallurgy and Metallography." E. O. Wiig, in charge of "Nuclear Phenomena," also edited the abstracts for "Electronic Phenomena and Spectra" during 1951 while the latter section's regular editor, A. B. F . Duncan, was spending a year in England. This was a heavy task as is the editing of many of the larger sections of CA. The task is not light for any section editor. The editor asks the privilege of expressing welcome to the new section editors and appreciation to all of the many good and faithful CA workers. They are really contributing an enormous amount of work continuously to help a useful project. E. J. C R A N E ,
Editor
Journal of Physical and Colloid Chemistry Τ τ IS impossible for the Editors to give complete statistics for the Journal of Physical and Colloid Chemistry, but certain facts may be of interest. The journal published 155 articles, 28 book reviews and lists of books, and five communications to the editor during 1951. Publication of between 30 and 4 0 extra articles was made possible by a special appropriation of $5000 voted by the Board of Directors in June. In 1951, the average article was about 10 pages in length, corresponding to about six J ACS pages. Thus the average paper on physical chemistry in JPCC was about 50
