ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
EDITORIAL
December 1959, Vol. 31, No. 12 APPLIED JOURNALS, ACS Director o f Publications, C. B. Larrabee Editorial Director, Walter J. Murphy Execufive Editor, James M. Crowe Assistant to the D'recfor of Publicafions, Joseph H. Kuney ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY Editor, Lawrence 1. Hallett Monaging Edifor, Robert 0. Gibbs EDITORIAL HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON 6, D. C. 1155 Sixteenth St., N.W. Phone REpublic 7-3337 Teletype W A 23 Associafe Editors: G. Gladys Gordon, Stella Anderson, Katherine 1. Biggs Assisfont Editors: Robert J. Riley, Robert J. Kelley, Ruth M. Howorth, Eugenia Keller, Sue M. Solliday, Malvina B. Preiss, Ruth Reynard Editorial Assisfonfs: Katherine H. Ginnane, Virginia E. Stewart, S. S. Rogers, Lorraine M. Bertuzzi Layout and Production: Melvin D. Buckner (Art); Betty V. Kieffer, Leroy 1. Corcoran, John V. Sinnett BRANCH EDITORIAL OFFICES CHICAGO 3, ILL. Room 926 36 South Wabash Ave. Teletype CG 725 Phone Slate 2-5148 Associate Edifors: Howard J. Sanders, Chester Placek Assistant Editor: James H. Krieger HOUSTON 2, TEX. 718 Melrose Bldg. Phone FAirfax 3-7107 Teletype HO 72 Associafe Editor: Bruce F. Greek Assistonf Edifor: Earl V. Anderson NEW YORK 16, N. Y. 2 Park Ave. Phone ORegon 9-1646 Teletype NY 1-4726 Associofe Editors: William 0 . Hull, Harry Stenerson, David M. Kiefer, D. Gray Weaver, Walter S. Fedor, Laurence J. White Assistont Editor: Louis A. Agnello SAN FRANCISCO 4, CALIF. 703 Mechanics' Institute Bldg. 57 Post st. Phone EXbrook 2-2895 Teletype SF 549 Associofe Fditor: Richard 0. Newhall Assistant Editor: Joseph Sturchio EASTON, PA. 20th and Northampton Sts. Phone Blackburn 8-91 11 Teletype ESTN Pa 7048 Associate Edifor: Charlotte C. Sayre Assisfont Edifor: Joyce A. Richards Editorial Assisfonts: Elizabeth R. Rufe, Barbara A. Conover EUROPEAN OFFICE Bush House, Aldwych, London Cable JIECHEM Phone Temple Bar 3605 Associate Edifor: Albert S. Hester Contributing Editor: R. H. Muller Adrviory Board: R. M. Archibald, W. H. Beamer, F. E. Beamish, H. 0 . Cassidy, W. D. Cooke, J. 1. Hoffman, M. T. Kelley, C. 1. Luke, W. M. MacNevin, W. J. Mader, John Mitchell, Jr., N. H. Nachtrieb, E. J. Rorenbaurn, R. 0. Russell, F. H. Strors Advertising Management REINHOLD PUBLISHING CORP. [For Branch Offices see page 125 A)
literature Searching-An
Obsolete Practice?
Possibility of duplicating research sometimes considered better than doing detailed literature search
IT used to be axiomatic t h a t a research chemist would make a literature search t o determine what had been done in a given area before he undertook a new research problem. I n more recent years it has been a practice to have professionally trained personnel in the information services perform the literature searches, thus saving time of the research personnel. Recently, we have noted, chemists frequently comment that because of time and cost of searching literature, it may be more efficient to perform the experiment without a literature search, even though it might duplicate some work done earlier. What does this mean? T o us there are many implications. We have always felt that a research chemist doing his own literature searches not only located earlier references pertinent to his problem but also frequently got new ideas concerning the approach to his specific problem. A literature search might also stimulate his thinking concerning other interesting and fruitful research. This advantage is lost when no search is made or when it is made by others for the research chemist. T h a t a literature review is useful is illustrated by the story of the oxygen flash technique. Although this technique was discovered in 1892 by Hempel [Angew. Chem. 5, 393 (1892)3, it was not utilized for many years until Schoniger rediscovered its use. Development of penicillin is another example. Early work was published concerning this material, but years passed before its potential was realized and developed. W e have also noted a t scientific meetings that younger authors fail t o realize t h a t early work often anticipates some of the conclusions which they draw from their research. Older members in the audience many times point out t h a t the conclusions of the younger men are not new. This new practice can also lead to duplication of research. Probably, it will result in editors' receiving "original research" papers for publication which are actually duplicates of material published many years earlier. We wish we had the answer to this problem, but we do not. We know that much thought is being given to the problem of rapid retrieval of chemical iniormation. All available devices, including mechanical and electronic methods, are being explored. Such rapid progress is being made in the electronic and mechanical field that it might prove to be a poor decision to pick one current system and thereby commit ourselves for years to come Tyith a system which might become obsolete in a short time. It seeins likely, however, t h a t some system must be adopted in the near future or we shall become lost in a morass of literature.
VOL. 31,
NO. 12,
DECEMBER 1959
1933
