The Use of Government Publications in Chemical Research FLORENCE HARDEN Corsan Products, Inc., Flushing, New York OVERNMENT publications-those documents issued by or for the use of federal agencies-have become specific and dynamic instruments in chemical research. The unique character of government research makes its results invaluable to the scientific worker. Its interest in the national service has resulted in many studies that might otherwise be shelved or, a t best, indefinitely postponed (1). With public welfare as its chief concern, the Government can investigate those problems in scientific fields in which the social or practical value is high but in which monetary returns are low. Moreover, it is in a position to marshall the forces of public and of private research into cooperative studies. Auchter's remarks in connection with research in agriculture in the present crisis may weU be applied to the field of chemistry: "The emphasis and the concentration of investigators on special problems as well as the wholehearted cooperation between State and Federal workers and those in other research and educational institutions have resulted in many contributions of decided value in the war" ( 2 ) . The ideology behind government research and its ready access to all facilities of industrial and of academic investigation (3) render their result and their printed presentation invaluable as a source of information for the scientist. Government documents are the dominant means of communications between government research and all scientific workers. Yet it is true of all research fields, as well as of chemistry, which is the concern of this discussion, that not all reports of interest are located in a single center. The multiplicity of function of many agencies, the creation of new units, and the alteration of old units to meet changing national needs, especially in wartime, cause a constant kaleidoscoping of old and of new type of issue. Any analysis is one of the moment with validity for neither the immediate past nor the immediate future ( 4 ) . "The enormous quantity of United States government publications, the multitude of suhjects and problems which they treat, the variation in their value, the inconsistencies in form, the haphazard confusing methods of their production and distribution make the attainment of (the knowledge of character and content) a somewhat difficulttask" (5). While the diversity of activity of most government agencies is one cause for the lack of subject centralization of source of material, i t is not the only factor. The
G
,
1 Presented before the Division of Chemical Education of the American Chemical Society, 107th meeting. Cleveland. Ohio. April 4, 1944.
other dominant cause is the broadness of interest of the chemical field. Therefore, any attempt to cover a subject as broad as the title of this paper must be concerned with types of puhlications of direct interest and practical value to all chemical research workers. It must delete much statistical information that indirectly affects the incipience of chemical research projects and the marketing of the results of these projects. I t must concern itself with generalities. It can be neither exhaustive nor complete but must act rather as an opening of the door to subject analyses. It is hoped that the list accompanying this paper will aid in the use of specific publications. Detailed studies of agencies and of publications in specialized chemical branches are fertile fields for further studies. The present cursory analysis will be concerned with seven major types of government issue of interest to chemists : 1. The indexes, lists, and general bibliographies 2. The statistical reports. 3. The technical Lu!letins. 4. The patent literature. 5. The technical journals. 6. Motion pictures. 7. Special issues.
The indexes, lists, and bibliographies are of two general types : 1. Those pertaining to one bureau, department, agency, or, subject. 2. Those pertaining. to selected or to all government publications in general.
Since they are usually issued a t time intervals, they provide a continuous picture of the work. Subject arrangement or indexes of each issue are provided for a checking of references on specific subjects. Majority of the current lists of publications are available from the issuing bureaus. Illustrative of the bibliographiesof wide usefulness are : 1. The List of Selected United &tes Government Publicalionr. 2. The Price Lists issued by the Superintendent of Documents. 3. TheBibliography of Agriculture.
The first two are free; the third is sold by the Superintendent of Documents for $3.75 a year. The List of Selected United States Gmernment Publications is issued semimonthly by the Superintendent of Documents. In broad subject arrangement it provides a guide to the most important issues in all fields. The Price Lists, issued by the Superintendent of
Documents, are arranged by subject. A sepatate pamphlet is issued for each field, such as health and standards of weights and measures. They contain a list of publications of interest to that field regardless of government source of issue. One of the outstanding lists of recent origin is the monthly Bibliography of Agricdture, issued by the United States Department of Agriculture Library. It includes not only works issued by all bureaus and experiment stations under the department's administration hut material received in the library from other sources. An excellent subject index makes i t eminent as a source for literature on specific projects. The indexes, lists, and bibliographies are the guides to all types of publications on specific subjects. General statistical reports in the field of chemistry serve two functions: 1 TO give an over-all picture of availability, demand, and consumption of certain chemicals and chemical products. 2. To give a general idea of the market for certain types of chemical products.
War has accented both of those types of uses of specialized statistics. Outstanding among recent publications of this nature is the comprehensive Preliminary Report on United States Production, 1941, and Production, Consumption, and Stocks of Certain Synthetic Organic Chemicals, 1942, and by Months, 1943. These data are compiled from reports submitted to the Chemical Division, United States Tariff Commission, and the Chemicals Bureau, War Production Board. The excellent statistics furnished in the sections of the C ~ u Report s yield guides to the production and sales of various chemical products. They present material not otherwise reported. It is hoped that gradually the statistics will be broken down, with the aid of scientific field specialists, so that they will follow the terminology and the use familiar to the professional workers. This would increase their practical use, especially in the marketing aspect of chemistry. Specific technical bulletins form a large bulk of the publications of interest to research chemists. These bulletins are usually listed in a general list or index of the issuing bureau or in the general indexes. In them is contained the result of various research projects in both pure and applied fields. Usually they deal with one subject. One more unique type of technical bulletin is that issued by the National Bureau of Standards. This monthly issue, called the Technical News Bulletin, gives in brief review the kernel of the research completed or in progress in the Bureau. Such material is covered as the development and the testing of various substances, the investigation of chemicals, and the standardization of manufactured products. Included in the publication is a list of new and revised releases of the previous month, mimeographed material issued by the Bureau, and a list of recent articles by members of the Bureau's staff published in outside journals. Technical bulletins contain the scientific results of research. They are specific and detailed. An adequate analysis of the literature issued by the
federal government on patents, should include &I its premise some mention of the excellent files and catalog systems used in the Patent Office in Washington and available to research workers. However, since the present discussion is limited to government documents, the only digressitory remark will be to reemphasize the fact that patents and patent indexes from all countries are available a t the Patent Office in Washington. The Oficial Patent Gazette, published weekly, is an invaluable source for patent specifications, including drawings, patentees, a subject list of patents, the results of patent litigation suits, and trademarks registered at the Patent Office. Yearly the Patent Office issues an index of the patents granted by the office during the year. This index is arranged by patentees and by the subject of the inventions so that they are useful for checking sources and as a definite contributing Part to bihliographical research that precedes laboratory investigation. The patents held by the Alien property Custodian now occupy an important place in research both from the standpoint of what has been done and from the angle of the possibility of purchasing rights to the use of them. The volume listing these patents may be purchased from the Alien Property Custodian, Washington, D. C. Mr. Arthur Connolly (6) in speaking before this group in September, 1943, emphasized the importance in time and in money value of a thorough search of patent literature as prerequisite to the initiation of a laboratory research program. The publications of the United States Patent Office are the logical source forthis type of study. In the chemical field the federal government is not a prolific publisher of periodicals. However, there are two journals that are worthy of note. The Research Journal of the National Bureau of Standards is a comprehensive monthly compilation of technical reports on the variety of subjects covered in the work of the Bureau. The Journal of Agricultural Research is a scientific publication covering the many aspects of agriculture that have grown to touch many fields far beyond farm economy. Because of the frequency of publication and broadness of interest, these journals are timely and diversified in the presentation of research results. At the present time the number of motion pictures issued by the federal government and available to the public on topics pertaining to chemistry is negligible. However, a list of some sources where films can be procured has been furnished both as an aid in securing pictures and as a method of calling attention to these media of scientific reporting. Many sciences which have part of their practice in chemistry have comprehensive lists of motion pictures, privately produced, that are obtainable for professional instrnction. Probably when the war is over and the Government releases many films now held for private showing only, it will provide adequate catalogs. Then these pictures will find ready use in reporting research results.
328
JOURNAL OF
CHEMICAL EDUCATION
Sp6ial issues provide a means for the release and the experts in their several departments are constantly employed in distribution of material of special use or value. Usually P:o~ecuting scientist research in many directions, in explora. .in experiments conducted after the mast approved modthese releases fit into no regular of report. t~ons ern methods, all having practical ends in view and designed to The war has caused many such issues to be necessary. promote general and social welfare, and it cannot be otherwise An important special type of issue is the Federal stock than that the results of these researches, as detailed in the reports catalog which contains the standards required of various of such competent investigators, possess a value much beyond to public~documents." ~ for their use by the ~ ~ of prime ~that usuauy assigned ~ ~ interest to the chemical field in general is the one dealTime has deepened and broadened the truth of this ing with chemicals. Another special issue coming from statement. scientific moves forward upon a war agency is the Allocation of Chemicals which WPB the work of many people, in many places. ~t is the issues. All types of government publications, of which steady progress, based on the exchange of knowledge those mentioned are merely illustrative, are Part of a developed in many fields, that is responsible for such ~rovisionfor the common good by facilitating the rapid action in developing new techniques and proddiffusion of the results of scientific search for those who ucts in huge quantities as the war demanded (9). can use them. The contribution of each is part of the attainments of It is important that sources of publication of govern- the whole. AS government publications pertaining to ment documents be checked for new issues, that de- chemistry are expanded in their usefulness, we are a velo~ingsuch fields as CooPeration with South Am&- little closer to the marshalling of private and of public can research be watched, so that the use of the releases research resources for the greater good of man, of federal agencies shall remain dynamic. It is not the purpose of this report to analyze strengths SELECTED GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS OF USE TO THE and weaknesses of the methods of publication or of RESEARCH CHEMIST distribution of government documents. The unfortunate fact that mud research obThis list is neither exhaustive nor bibliographically tain the immediate publication that its importance de- complete. Site it is intended as a guide to the pubmands, because of lack of funds, is generally recog- lications of various United States government agencies, is on indexes, general bibliographies, and nized. H ~ this condition ~ is ~ in some ~ manner ~ al- the ~ emphasis , lists rather than on specific issues. For the list, govleviated by the fine help given to research workers by ernment documents have been interpreted as material A majority of of the bureau. individual members them are willing to supply any information that they printed and processed at public expense and issued by can, and frequently they refer a request to another federal agencies. In the interest of economy, only the worker who is in a position t~ provide additional data. title, date, and number of publications are given. FurFor instance, i t is often possible to copy, from the typed ther information can be obtained from the issuing bureau. The exceptions to this are the publications of an agency, copies of reportsin the under ~ ~ d i - general indexes and checklists which are supplied that has not found its way intoprint, ~h~ the Superintendent of Documents and the cal Library is most generous in providing copies of bibliographies on specific subjects taken from its run- indexes, lists, and periodicals-general of the Departning file for the Index-Catalogue (7). The people be- ment of Agriculture, which are supplied through the hind the work of the documents and the people who Oftice of Information of that department. only those supplement the contentsof the documents give the publications have been included which are either being issued a t the present time, are of continuing value to use of the printed word practical substance. chemical research workers, or fit both criteria. BuThe statement was made in speaking of the lack of reaus are listed under their present classification, with sufficient funds to issue promptly the of governindications of a ~ research fails ~ to achieve ~ ~ previous titles ~ or affiliations ~ when necest merit its purpose insofar as findings are unavailable to those sary. who may be interested in them" (8). GENERAL INDEXES AND CHECKLISTS Much has been written on the procurement, processing, and use of government documents by librarians, Gmernmentrssucs: 1. 1774-1881. POORE, BENJAMIN PERLEY: A descriptive but not yet have they become familiar ground to the catalog of the government puhlications of United States. specialized research worker. A practical study with Sept. 5, 1774, to March 4, 1881. 1885. results, dynamically interpreted, would yield rich 2. 1881-93. AM%, JOHNGRIFFITH: A comprehensive dividends in giving greater substance to a rich field of index to the publications of the United States government. 1881-93; 2nd ed , 1905. scientificinvestigation. 3. 1789-1909 Checklist of United States Public Documents. In 1894 the statement was made by John G. Ames in 3rd ed., 1911. a special report submitted to the Secretary of the In4. 1893-date. Catalog of the public documents of the Congress and all departments of the Government of the terior :
.
.. .
"It is not too much to say that no series of publications of greater intrinsic value issue from any publishing house than from the Government Printing Officeof the United States. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are expended every year and hundreds of
United States for the period from March 4, 1893, to . Prepared under the supervision of the Superintendent of Documents. 1896 (Document Catalog). 5. 1895-date. United States government publications: a monthly catalog.
t
6. 1928-date. Weekly list of selected Unitedstates government publications. 7. 1910-date. Monthly checklist of state publications. Division of Documents, Library of Congress. 8. 189Sdate. Price lists of government publications. Lists of value t o chemists: #19, Army and Militia; $36, government periodicals; $38, animal industry; #46, agricultural chemistry and soils and fertilizers; #51, health; #58, mines; #62. commerce and manufacturers; #70. census; #75, Federal specifications.
1940 Bureau of Agricultural Chemistry and Engineering. Agricultural Chemistry and Engineering Bureau. Report of Chief. . . l9394ate.
Indexes: Index of publications of Bureau of Cbemistry and Sails, originally Bureau of Chemistly and Bureau of Soils. 75 years; 1862-1937: v. 1. List of titles and authors, prepared by H. P. Holman and others. 1939. Publications of the Bureau of Chemistry, 1862 to 1924 (April 1).
Lists:
Private Publications-Indexes:
Agricultural Department Library. List of publications on soils issued by the United States Departmeut of Agriculture, 1844-1926. Bibliographical Contributions 14, 1927. Agricultural Chemistry and Soils and Fertilizers. Price List 1/46. Supt. of Documents list of mimeographed articles. n.d. ~ ~ ~ ~ Articles by members of the staff of the Bureau of Chemiitry and So& in uutsidc publicalions. O c t , 1927, to Aprd.
Agricultural Index. Bibliographic Index. Engineering Index. Industrial Arts Index. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
~~~~
Indexes--General: Index t o annual reports of the United States Department of Apriculture for Sears 1837-93, inclusive . 1896. Division of ~;blications, B&. I . Index t o Yearbook of United States Department of Agriculture. 1894-1915, prepared by C. H. Greathouse. 1902-22 (in four separate volumes). Index to Farmers' Bulletins 1-1000, prepared by C. H. Greathouse. 1920. Same, 1001-1500, compiled by Mable G. Hunt, 1929. Index to technical bulletins, #1-500. 1937. 6501-750. 1941. Index to authors with titles of their publicatious appearing in the documents of the United States Department of Agriculture, 1841-97 . . . 1898. Division of Publications Bulletin
..
1021
A"-A.
Bulletins, circulars, and other publications of the Bureau of Chemistry and Soils. Issued in the Department of Agriculture series. n.d. Department Publications Issued by Chemical and Technoloeical Research. Bureau of Cbemistnr and Soils and bv the f k m e r ~ureau'ofChemistry from 1413 t o 1933. Now changed to Bureau of Agricultural Cbemistry and Engineering. Mimeographed articleslist. Bureau of Agricultural Chemistry and Engineering. n.d. List of Publications and Patents of Bureau of Agricultural Cbemistry and Engineering, Agricultural Research Administration, issued duiing fiscal year ended June 30, 1942.
an-. 3,
Index to publications of the Department of Agriculture, 1901-25. 1932. Same 1926-30. 1935. 1931-35. 1937. 193640. 1943. Index t o Department of Agriculture Bulletins, 61-1500. 1936. Index t o Farmers' Bulletins, #I-1000. 1920. 61001-1500. 1929. #1501-1750. 1941. #1001-1500. 1942 (reprint plus appendix). 61501-1750. 1941.
Lists-General: List of titles of publications of the United States Department of Agriculture from 1840 t o June, 1902. 1902. Same Jan., 1901, to Dec., 1925. 1927 M.P. 9. -Tan... 1926..to Dec.. 1930. 1932 M.P. 153. M.P. 252. Jan., 1931; to ~ e c . 1935. ; List of publications of the United States Department of Agriculture from Jan., 1926, t o Dec., 1930, inclusive. Same Jan.. 1936, t o Dec.. 1940, inclusive. Numerical list of current publications of the United States Department of Agriculture. List of available Farmers' bulletins and leaflets of the Department of Agriculture. Monthly. United States Department of Agriculture monthly list of publications.. 1909-date. List of available publications of the United States Department of Agriculture. 1929-(latest issue Jan. 2. 1942) M.P. 60.
.
Periwlkalr-General: Journal of Agricultural Research.
Selected Publications: Yearbooks. 1894-1942 (ceased publication during time). n. Bureau oJ Agricultural Chemistry and Engineering: 1862 Division of Chemistry. 1894 Division of Soils. 1901 Bureau of Chemistry. 1901 Bureau of Soils. 1927 Two became Bureau of Chemistry and Soils.
war-
Sbccial - , Publications: ~ ~ ~
~
Description of rcgional research laboratories. 1910. b. AgrtruCuml E
