Technikatörténeti szemle 19. (1992)

KÖNYVISMERTETÉS - Papers of the First „MINERALKONTOR” International Conference on the History of Chemistry and Chemical Industry (Veszprém, 12-16 August, 1991)

king with a pencil. The papers thus already abstracted to some extent shall be written by themselves or, if they don't find time for it, owing to other commitments, should be entrusted to trustworthy young experts for abstracting for the Hungarian Chemical Journal. These abstracts should then be revised by the (original) experts. However, in the latter case it would be desirable to give the young authors a short written outiine" (28). Abstracting thus organized worked vrey well. As already mentioned, during the first decade more than half of the journals abstracted were German. After 1905 abstracts from American journals increased in number. In the sole year of 1896 90 abstracts were published from 31 German journals. Among the most frequenüy mentioned 5 journals we can find the Berichte der Deutschen Chemischen Gesellschaft zu Berlin, the Zeitschrift für Angewandte Chemie (J. of Applied Chem.) the Zeitschrift für Anorganische Chemie (J. of Inorganic Ch.) the Zitschrift für physikalische Chemie (J. of Physical Chemistry) the Chemisches Zentralblatt (Central Chemical Journal) A number of journals related to agricultural chemistry, brewing, alcohol industry and dairy have been abstracted. During the period treated more than 70 German journals of chemistry or some related area were abstracted. This figure does not contain the Austrian, Swiss, or Czech journals published in German language. The abstracts were published in thematic columns. Initially, there were 11 columns: General and physical chemistry Phamaceutical chemistry Inorganic chemistry Mineral and crystal chemistry Organic chemistry Tools and Chemical Techniques Analytical Chemistry Physiological chemistry Technical chemistry (engineering) Economic chemistry Analysis of foods and other consumers' goods From 1900 on agricultural chemistry had a column, too, and from 1903 on the chemical phenomena related to fermentation were treated in a sperate column. From 1906 on electrochemistry had also a column. The individual columns had permanent leaders, and these had permanent habits. Thus, e. g., if Béla Bittó abstracted literature of organic chemistry, the important thing was to give a precise account on the Berichte" of the last year. This following of the literature as organized so-to-say as a secondary job, became impossible as time went by, and faded away. Not the interest was lacking but the force. The relations between Hungarian and German chemists' sociesties could, of course, be shown in a more detaüed way by following them through the work of ah the 4 associations or sections each from both areas. However, it can be seen also from what has been presented here that the formal relations between associations and the huge congresses are habits of the 20th century. In the 19th century there was a really animated and efficient international public life going on, beside the lecture evenings of the associations, also on the columns of the journals.