Page 2 - A HANDBOOK OF ORGANIC ANALYSIS QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE

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PREFACE TO THE FOURTH EDITION

DURING the fifteen years which have elapsed since the
appearance of the first edition of this book, recognition of
the educational value of qualitative organic chemical analysis
has widely extended, with the result that methods of the type
advocated for such work have received increasing attention
in publications appearing in the scientific journals during this
period. At the same time the normal progress of organic
chemistry has disclosed a variety of new reactions and com-
pounds; so that it has been considered advisable to subject
' the portion of the text dealing with the qualitative aspect
of organic analysis to a thorough revision.
The reference tables have also been almost entirely re-
written, in order to take advantage of the new data appearing
in the recent literature· and to present in fuller detail the
information therein summarised, a certain amount of which
has had to be experimentally determined by the author.
As a result of all this development, the goal referred to by
Professor Collie in the Introduction is sensibly nearer, though
still a long way off. Progress in this direction must continue
to remain chiefly a by-product of organic chemical research.
It may however fairly be claimed that for the comrrioner
types of organic compounds, such as the fatty acids or the
simple primary aromatic amines, analytical identification is
now far more firmly on a systematic basis than it was in
1911.
The author has great pleasure in expressing his gratitude
for valuable criticism and suggestions from Dr. O. L. Brady
and Mr. F. P. Dunn.
H. T. CLARKE.
ROCHESTER, NEW YORK

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