68 The Ohio Journal of Science [Vol. XVIII, No. 3, 



some 600 journals from all parts of the world and there is spent 

 upon it by the American Chemical Society an annual budget of 

 over $40,000. It is easily seen that this must be the most pow- 

 erful and most important agency for research in chemistry, and 

 perhaps also in any science, that exists in the world. Some 

 quantitative idea of the evil effect of the war upon chemistry in 

 general may be gotten from its effects upon this colossal agency 

 for assisting applied as well as unapplied research in chemistry. 

 Inquiry to the editor of "Chemical Abstracts" developed 

 that the effect of the war on current chemical literature as 

 reflected in "Chemical Abstracts" may be shown approximately 

 by the following statement: 



"Total No. of abstracts published (patents included): 



In 1913—25,971 In 1915—18,449 



In 1914—24,388 In 1916-15,784" 



These figures are fairly representative of actual publication 

 of original papers of more or less direct interest to chemists 

 as Chemical Abstracts has continued closely to approach 

 completeness in spite of war conditions. The quality of the 

 papers being published is somewhat below the normal standard. 

 Not a great many foreign chemical journals have entirely 

 ceased publication since the war started, but all show more or 

 less marked decrease in the number of pages turned out. Most 

 of the French and German journals are published much less 

 frequently than in normal times, two or more numbers being 

 grouped under one cover. Apparently no important English, 

 Italian or Russian chemical journal has ceased publication 

 since the war started. The following list includes the journals 

 concerning which we have uncertain information, but which 

 indicates that they have probably ceased publication due to the 

 war : 



English (one journal) : 

 Chemical World. 



German (eight journals) : 



Bohmische Bierb. Technikum. 



Deut. med. Wochschr. Zentr. Exp. Med. 



Leipziger Farber-Ztg. Z. exp. Med. 



Silikat-Z. Z. Hyg. 



