Increasing the Services of the Division of Analytical and Micro Chemistry
W.
Dr. Kirklin and the Executive Committee of the A. KIRKLIN, chairman of the Division of division are seeking ideas from analysts for expanding Analytical and Micro Chemistry, speaking before the division's service. the Fourth Pittsburgh Analytical Symposium, raised We would like to make one suggestion t o start the the question of what can be done within the division t o ball rolling. Is it riot feasible a t nhtional meetings t o meet the growing needs of specialized fields, yet fields arrange half-day round-table discussions on such subthat are an integral part of modern chemical analysis. jects as polarography, infrared spectroscopy, etc., with In recent years the division has sponsored a number the discussion mechanically recorded and later digested of symposia at national meetings, supplementing the by each chairman, for publication in ASALYTICAL regular program of papers. At the St. Louis session of CHEmsTRy in two- or three-page reports? The roundthe 114th meeting, two such symposia were held: one table discussion could be scheduled after the more inon current developments in the application of chemical formal divisional program has been completed and when microscopy, the other on new electrical methods of there would be no disturbing conflicts. Much of its analysis; at the 113th meeting the design of experisuccess mould depend upon the proper selection of disments for developing new analytical methods was cussion leaders. Events of the past few years certhoroughly discussed; at the 112th meeting a full-day tainly have demonstrated that we do not lack leadersession was devoted t o the purity and identity of orship among analysts. ganic compounds; and the 111th meeting was featured The round-table form of meeting is gaining in popuhy a symposiuni on statistical methods. larity among scientists in many fields. It has a very We believe the idea of specialized symposia should be useful function, quite different from the presentation encouraged and expanded at national meetings of the of formal papers. One of the chief criticisms leveled Society. The introduction of the idea of summer symposia, cosponsored by the division and AXALYTICAL at our general meetings is the lack of time for informal discussion of the papers presented. We see very little CHEMISTRY, offers further opportunity for exhaustive possibility of providing such time in view of the evertreatment of special subjects. The possibility of direct increasing number of excellent papers presented a t assistance from local sections and other groups is evidenced by the annual symposia of tkie Analytical Diviour national meetings. Round-table discussions seem to us to offer possibilities for more active participation sion of the Pittsburgh Section, the Symposium on by the analysts who attend, the opportunity to exhIodern Methods of Analysis, conducted in March 1948 change ideas and experiences of great practical value by the Minnesota Section, and the one-day Symposium which are not widely shared simply because no means on Instrumental Methods of Chemical Analysis, held are provided. hy the New York Section on Xovember 20. Indeed, we are delighted to see the increasing interest We are suggesting essentially an extension of the corridor groups which are present a t every meeting. in analytical chemistry a t the local section level as indicated, among other things, by the sponsorship of a The forum idea would expand the opportunities for the dissemination of information, not only among those series of eight lectures on polarography, spectroscopy, attending the meeting but among the stay-at-homes. x-ray and electron diffraction, electrophoresis, and ion through publication of a n-ell-edited digest that could exchange, sponsored by the Eastern New York Section be read by 30,000 analysts here and abroad. last winter. Other sections likewise are sponsoring Perhaps a start of modest proportions could be made lectures and courses of direct interest to analysts. at the fall meeting in -Atlantic City, if the proposal is Most promising of all is the rapid growth in the number of local sections that have established analytical viewed favorably. Two or three subjects could be selected for the initial attempt. With a very large seggroups within the local section framework. Here is, perhaps, the finest opportunity of all t o bring analysts ment of analytical chemists within easy travel distance together interested in highly specialized fields, with the of Atlantic City, the likelihood of success would he full blessing and support of the Society. increased. 195
