V O L U M E 25, NO. 4, A P R I L 1 9 5 3
the a n a l y s t ' s column
15 A
Efficient, Non-Sparking, Perfectly Controlled W e l c h M O T O R STIRRER Constancy of Speed — Longer Life
V X T E attended the panel discussion (con sisting of E . J. Rosenbaum, Sun Oil, Chairman; R. B . Brattain, Shell; L. E. Kuentzel, Wyandotte; E . Carroll Creitz, National Bureau of Standards; and A. W. Baker, Dow) on applications of punched cards to spectroscopy, held a t the recent Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy. This discussion was sponsored by A.S.T.M. Committee E-13 on absorption spectros copy. I t appears that continued strides are being made in this important field by the experts, but, after listening to t h e discussion, we feel constrained to make a few comments, because the unwary chem ist may soon take it for granted that the electronic brain and spectroscopist will solve all his identification problems. Any user or custodian of large files of accumulated data will testify to the effi cacy of any of the punched card indexing systems in use today. With the rapid strides in the instrumentation of spectrom eters, spectrophotometers, and recording x-ray diffraction apparatus, the growth of the library of curves in the average laboratory has been tremendous. I t is no wonder t h a t spectroscopists in general have directed their efforts toward t h e fullest exploitation of this relatively new tool. N o t only is a desired absorption curve located with a minimum expenditure of time and effort, but the recorded spectra of compounds with a given functional group, melting point, or any number of or combination of chemical and physical properties are "punched o u t " with almost equal ease. T h e resolution of two- and three-component mixtures is also accom plished in like manner, provided the spectra of the pure components are in t h e file. Noting these facts, there is no dis agreement on the usefulness of these techniques for spectroscopists in general. Nevertheless it seems that sight has been lost of the fundamental nature of punched card indexing. I t is the meaning of the word "indexing" that seems to have been forgotten. Punched card indexing is fast, faster than a human performing t h e same task. I t has a memory superior to that of the average human, and at t h e routine level t h e chemist or spectroscopist needs only submit a curve to the device, and push a button, and o u t comes the answer. I t will not, however—nor will any other ingenious device—replace t h e judgment of the human brain. What happens when t h e curve in ques tion is not duplicated in t h e files? This situation leaves t h e individual of this frame of mindjlike. the detective with a (Continued on page 17 A)
SPARKLESS Induction Motor Eliminates the Explosion Hazard from Brush Contacts.
