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T H E J O U R N A L OF I A V D U S T R I A L A N D EIVGINEERI-VG C H E - W I S T R Y . Mar., 1909
the two is in the personality or character, and not in the stock of knowledge. I t seems as though the automatic power of centering and maintaining interest in things was one of the most desired traits to impart to a very young chemist. W. R. WHITNEY.
chemists in America to desire the publication by the American Chemical Society of a journal of physical chemistry. The difficulty of separating general and physical from inorganic articles, as indicated by German experience, makes it seem desirable to combine the three classes of articles in one journal. Such a journal, if established, would take about two-thirds of the articles which will probably be published in the Journal of the T H E NEXT STEP IN PUBLICATION FOR THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY. America% Chemical Society during the present year. SEVERAL years ago Professor A. A. Noyes pro- Evidently what would be left could no longer be posed a classification of the articles in the Journal called, appropriately, the Journal of the American of the American Chemical Society with a separate Chemical Society, and the establishment or adoption paging for each class. A little more than two by the society of a journal of physical chemistry years ago the writer presented to the Council of means also the establishment or adoption of a the Society a scheme for the publication of a set of journal of organic and biological chemistry. This separate journals representing the more important has not, perhaps, been sufficiently considered by subdivisions of chemistry. The plan proposed was the physical chemists. imperfect in some of its details and it involved a If we assume that the publication of a journal of coordination of conflicting interests which is prob- physical and inorganic chemistry is desirable, the ably too Utopian for complete realization. The next questions are those of practical detail. In the American Chemical Society has, however, accepted first place it is to be hoped that some arrangement the most vital part of the proposal and has es- can be made, satisfactory to the Editor of the tablished a separate journal devoted to the in- Journal of Physical Chemistry, by which the terests of industrial and engineering chemistry. articles published In the Journal of the American Every one will, I am sure, agree that the develop- Chemical Society can be united with those pubment of publication has been so rapid recently that lished in the former. we should wait till we can see more clearly the The financial side of the question is best coneffect of present policies before taking .another sidered in connection with the different plans step forward. It is, however, wise for us to begin to which may be proposed : consider the direction which future development (I) The journal might be published on a subscription basis. I t is extremely doubtful if suffishould take. The purposes which have led to the establishment cient financial support could be secured in this of the J O U R N A L OF INDUSTRIAL way, but, even if it could it would mean that we AND ESGINEEIZING CHEMISTRY are: First, to care better for the in- should take away from one class of members of the terests of a class of chemists and manufacturers American Chemical Society those articles in which who form a very large group of our membership. they are especially interested, compelling them to Second, to furnish a more suitable medium for the do without or pay extra for them. I t would, in publication of articles in this field in the hope that effect, raise the dues for those interested in physical we may bring a large portion of the best industrial chemistry. I am sure this is not desirable. If two journals were published in place of the articles together in a single journal where they will be easily accessible to the chemists of the country. Journal of the American Chemical Society, with an Third, to gain new members with the support increase of 800 pages of material, and both journals which they will give. A fourth reason which were to go to all our members the additional cost of might apply in other cases would be the desire to printing would be about $2500. If we add $ 7 0 0 combine the articles from some fields of chemistry for the salary and expenses of the editor, we have which is represented in the Journal of the American $3200 a year as the sum needed for the establishChemical Society with those published in some ment of this journal, This expenditure might be existing journal, with the hope of securing for this met by one of the following plans: (2) On payment of the present dues of $IO journal the publication of practically all American members might be permitted to select any three work in the field. of the four journals which we would then publish. All of the reasons given lead many physical
EDITORIALS. Any one wishing all four would pay $3 additional. If we assume that 5 0 0 would do this (a liberal estimate) this would give $1500, while about $2800 would be saved by the decrease of 3500 copies in the total circulation of the three journals. Such a plan would, in effect, add $3 to the dues of all who wished, as now, to have access to original papers in all fields and would deprive all the rest of the papers in some one field. The increase would be especially felt by students and young men just beginning their professional career. The injury which would result from giving to the majority of our members a one-sided literature appears to me very serious. We ought not to think chiefly of the members of the council of the society and of chemists of similar character and position but rather of members with limited means and of the many who are isolated so that the journals published by the society are the only ones they can see. The decreased circulation would also make the journals less attractive as a means of publication and might also interfere seriously with advertisements. (3) An increase of $I in the dues would somewhat more than meet the increased expense. It seems to be generally agreed that such a plan is wholly inadvisable and that the dues must not be increased again for any purpose. (4) Add 640 new members. Even with the four journals it would cost only about $5 to print an extra copy of each, pay the postage, and pay the additional expenses for the secretary, local sections, etc. Hence each new member adds $5 to the funds available for publication. ( 5 ) Secure an endowment for publication. Every one will admit, I think, that the maintenance of our publications is of very great importance for the future of chemistry in America and it does not seem too much to hope that some of the leaders of industries which have profited so largely by our science may yet contribute liberally to their support. What has been accomplished during the past two years is certainly a sufficient basis for an earnest appeal. I t seems to be clear from what has been said that we ought to wait for the publication of a journal of physical chemistry till it is possible, financially, to do this and send the journal to all of our members. For the first time in the history of chemistry the American Chemical Society has succeeded in uniting all classes of chemists in a large organization which cares adequately for the interests of
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both pure and applied science. Those of us who attend the general meetings of the society see very clearly the advantages which come from the association and acquaintance of chemists with radically different habits of work and points of view. But we must remember that, after all, these meetings reach only a small fraction of our membership, while the journals now go to all of our members. We have recently provided, by the establishment of this Journal, a more suitable form of publication for articles in industrial and engineering chemistry. I am sure that industrial chemists would be the last to say that we ought not to continue to provide, as in the past, for the suitable publication of researches which have been undertaken without reference to any industrial application. W. A. NOYES.
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SAMPLING.
MR. BAILEY has done a service to analytical chemistry by his careful physical and mathematical investigation of sampling, the results of which are published in this number. While the work concerns itself with the sampling of coal, the results are of wide application. I n the past, and at the present time, in thousands of cases the analysis has to bear the criticism which should fall upon improper sampling. The analyst, who is not his own sampler, can analyze only the sample which is delivered to him. Almost any analyst can relate how samples representing carload lots of coal were delivered to him in pint milk bottles and lubricating greases in candy sacks. Members of the engineering profession are not altogether blameless in encouraging faulty sampling, and occasionally the chemist himself is deserving of censure in this regard. The simple truth that a correct analysis is dependent upon a correct sample, would appear to be sufficiently axiomatic to require no demonstration. W. D. RICHARDSON.
ORIGINAL PAPERS. THE SYNTHESIS, CONSTITUTION, AND USES O F BAKELITE. BY L. H. BAEKELAND, Sc.D. Received February 8 . 1909.
Since many years i t is known that formaldehyde may react upon'"pheno1ic bodies. That this re1 Read before the S . Y.Section of the American Chemical Society on February 5 . 1909
