Caveat: Some numbers did not OCR correctly and may not have been
corrected during the proofing! Check the 1941 print edition
before trying these!

INTRODUCTION TO THE SERIES


THE publication of this series of pamphlets has been undertaken
to make available in a permanent form complete detailed directions
for the preparation of various organic chemical reagents.
In announcing this purpose it may be well to mention at the outset
some of the difficulties in the way of the research chemist, which it
is hoped this series will be able to overcome. The cost of chemicals
is prohibitive to the majority of chemists; this was true before
the war when Kahlbaum's complete supply was available, and to-day
with our dependence on domestic stocks, this cost has increased.
The delay in obtaining chemicals, especially from abroad,
even if the expense need not be considered, is an important factor.
These difficulties have therefore thrown the research chemist on his
own resources. The preparation of materials for research, always time
consuming and annoying, is made increasingly so by the inexactness
of the published information which so often omits essential details.
Because of this, much needless experimentation is necessary
in order to obtain the results given in the published reports.
As the additional information thus acquired is seldom published,
duplication of such experiments occurs again and again,--
a waste of time and material. It is hoped these difficulties
may be remedied by the publication of this series of pamphlets.
In other words, the authors hope to make this a clearing house
for the exchange of information as to methods of preparation of some