ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY February 1957, Vol. 29,
EDITORIAL
No. 2
Issued January 2 6 , 1957 APPLIED JOURNALS, ACS Director of Publicafions, C. B. Larrabee
Ana Iytica I Division Progress
Editorial Director, Walter J. Murphy Execufive Editor, James M. Crowe
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ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY Editor, Lawrence T. Halleft Managing Edifor, Robert G. Gibbs EDITORIAL HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON 6, D. C. 1155 Sixteenth St., N.W. Phone Republic 7-5300 Associate Editors: Stella Anderson, G. Gladys Gordon, Katherine 1. Biggs Assisfanf Edifors: Jones
Betty V. Kieffer,
Sue
Editorial Assistants: Ruth M. Howorth, A n n W. Knox, Eugenia Keller, Hanns 1. Spen, Sue M. Solliday, Malvina B. Preiss, Marjorie A. Hlndert, Ruth Reynard Staff Artist, Melvin D. Buckner BRANCH EDITORIAL OFFICES CHICAGO 1, ILL. 86 East Randolph St. Phone State 2-7686 Associate Editor: Chester Placek Assisfanf Editor: Laurence J. White HOUSTON 2, TEX. 718 Melrose Bldg. Phone Fairfax 3-7107 Associate Edifor: Harry W. Haines, Jr. Assistanf Editor: Bruce F. Greek NEW YORK 16, N. Y. 2 Park Ave. Phone Oregon 9-1646 Associate Edifors: Harry Stenerson, William Q . Hull, Howard J. Sanders, D. Gray Weaver, Walter S. Fedor Assisfanf Editor: Morton Salkind SAN FRANCISCO 4, CALIF. 703 Mechanics' Institute Bldg. 57 Post St. Phone Exbrook 2-2895 Associafe Editor: Kenneth M. Reese EASTON, PA. 20th and Northampton 9s. Phone Easton 91 1 1 Associafe Edifor: Charlotte C. Sayre Ediforial Assisfanfs: Joyce A. Richards, Elizabeth R. Rufe, June A. Barran EUROPEAN OFFICE Bush House, Aldwych, London Associate Editor: Albert S. Hester Confribufing Editor:
R. H. Muller
Advisory Board: R. M. Archibald, H. F. Beeghly, H. G. Cassidy, Harvey Diehl, R. M. Fowler, Lowis Gordon, J. I. Hoffman, E. E. Leininger, H. A. Liebhafsky, V. W. Meloche, John Mitchell, Jr., R. 0. Russell, 0. D. Shreve, A I Steyermark, J. H. Yae Adverfising Management: REINHOLD PUBLISHING CORP. 430 Park Ave., N e w York 22, N. Y. (For Branch Offices see page 107 A)
the Soveniber progress report mailed to members of the Division of Analytical Chemistry. Membership of well over 2000 reflects steady gains in membership. The high quality programs scheduled for national meetings this year should keep interest and attendance high. Symposia at the spring meeting a t Miami, for example, will include analysis of pesticide residues and analytical contributions t o research on petroleum geochemistry. The fall meeting in S e w York will include a symposium on thermoanalytical chemistry. Several other topics of current interest are under consideration. Another timely subject for the analytical division is scheduled for the annual summer symposium a t Purdue Cniversity. This meeting. sponsored by the Division of Analytical Chemistry and h A L P T I C S L CHEMISTRY, will be devoted to nucleonics. This topic was the subject of the summer symposium 10 years ago. Phenomenal growth in this field makes it entirely fitting that progress made during the past decade be evaluated. I n fact, progress has been so rapid that one symposium cannot do full justice to analytical strides made in this specialized area of chemistry and physics. The magnitude of difficulties in planning divisional programs and activities can be appreciated only by those who have handled this task. The list of 35 symposia held since 1950 is impressive. It points out, however, the problems of thinking up new topics for future meetings. There is also the problem of maintaining a good balance, so that all fields of analysis, both physical and chemical, and all analytical tools, are covered. The program committee is wise, we believe, in enlisting the help of the division members in evaluating past symposia and suggesting new topics or older ones which should be brought up to date. JTe believe that microscopy should receive more attention on divisional programs than it is currently receiving. More encouragement should be given to the physical approaches to analysis, such as infrared and x-ray. The efficiency of industrial analysis could be profitably discussed, together with problems of organization and administration t o achieve greater efficiency. The purchase of analytical equipment and instrumentation is typical. In obtaining nen- machinery used in production, for example, the purchase is conditioned by whether the machine n-ill make a product better or more economically. In the area of analytical equipment and instrumentation, justification for purchases cannot be reduced entirely to a formula. -it present, however, we feel that derisions to purchase items costing thousands of dollars are not made n-ith the degree of precision which is desirable. Another topic which could well be given attention in the future is that of educating analysts not only in universities but also after they enter industry.
e
Production Manager, Joseph H. Kuney
VOL. 29, NO. 2, FEBRUARY 1957
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