False Economy Research Articles

The chemistry of solvents used for ultrasonic cleaning

Although, in ultrasonic cleaning, solvents of high polarity are generally the most useful, it is false economy to be influenced too much by the low price of a solvent. Many solvents with high toxicity present a serious hazard to health. Other influential factors are the effect of the solvent on the material of the object being cleaned, the purity, the molecular weight and the surface tension of the solvent.

Citations in Popular and Interpretive Science Writing

Why is it that so much otherwise excellent “popularized” science writing lacks an essential ingredient, a lack that minimizes its lasting value? I have found that scientific publications can be qualitatively evaluated into those which include bibliographic citation data and those which do not. Scientists frequently are stimulated to order publications cited in articles. Is the exclusion of citations a tradition among journalists who prefer to withhold sources of information so as to prevent others from tapping these same sources? Librarians and scientists spend hundreds of hours tracking down precise literature citations which are missing in articles published in otherwise reputable publications like Scientific American, the New York Times, or The Sciences— a task that could be eliminated if brief but complete citations were given. This is certainly false economy and annoying. As citation indexing becomes more widespread, full citations will become more important (1). In the meantime there is more than adequate justification for including the elusive volume, page, and year (2). References to “the latest” or “a recent” issue of Nature or Science are particularly frustrating! This practice is particularly irksome as authors rarely fail to give complete citations for references to their own publication— a form of bibliographic narcissism. I have protested in vain to Scientific American, International Science and Technology, and the New York Times. The popular British journal New Scientist frequently but inconsistently gives the complete pertinent literature reference. Science News Letter is equally inconsistent. The new British newspaper Medical News is laudably more consistent. The exclusion of citations, of course, is a far more serious shortcoming than the abominable practice of dispersing the author’s biography on one page and the bibliography on another. The bibliography, of course, in no way resembles the list of pertinent journal citations upon which ‘most interpretations and reviews are based. The science writers, the people who translate English to English, ought to realize that busy scientists and students depend increasingly upon these translations as a means of retrieving scientific information. In his more objective role the science writer reports, hopefully, all aspects of new fields, including historical background and all known divergent viewpoints. In connection with the foregoing remarks, I believe that it is false economy to eliminate titles of journal articles in references cited in Science. This useful “redundancy” not only could do away with the need for many interlibrary loans but also would simplify the writing of papers, since one frequently must incorporate the title of the cited article in an unnecessarily long sentence. I would be perfectly willing to have such information given in five-point type— if space is really the problem. In view of the recent President’s Science Advisory Committee recommendation (3) on the use of fuller, more exact titles, it is borrowing from Peter to pay Paul when you discard them. EUGENE GARFIELD Institute for Scientific Information, 33 South 17th Street, Philadelphia 3, Pennsylvania

Prescription survey design

A summary of the factors involved in the prescription survey design has been provided by McCracken. 2 “... The clasp-type partial denture ... has proved its merit and justifies its continued use.... There are few contraindications for use of the clasp partial denture when properly designed. Practically all of the objections to the clasp partial denture can be disposed of by pointing to deficiencies in its design and fabrication. These can be listed as follows: 1. Inadequate diagnosis and treatment planning. 2. Failure to use the surveyor during diagnosis and treatment planning. 3. Inadequate mouth preparations, usually due to insufficient planning of the design of the partial denture. 4. Failure to provide the technician with a specific design and the necessary information for following out this design. 5. Failure of the technician to follow the design and instructions outlined... 6. Incorrect use of clasp designs... 7. Failure to provide for adequate tissue support for free-end denture bases.” “A partial denture which is so designed and fabricated that it avoids the errors and deficiencies listed above is one that proves the clasp-type partial denture can be made functional, esthetically pleasing, and long lasting, without damage to the supporting structures. The proof of the merit of the clasp partial denture lies in the knowledge that (1) it permits partial denture service for the largest number of patients, as the need for this service increases with advances in other phases of dentistry ...; (2) it provides dentures that are comfortable and efficient over a long period of time, with evidence of adequate support and maintenance of occlusal contact relations; (3) there is evidence of healthy abutments, which are free of caries and periodontal disease; ...; “Partial dentures thus made contribute to a concept of prosthetic dentistry which has as its goal the preservation of as many teeth as possible, the partial restoration of broken dental arches, and an ultimate elimination of the need for complete dentures.” If major emphasis were placed upon the health of the supporting structures of the teeth, the restorative procedures of operative dentistry, crown and bridge prosthesis, and partial denture prosthesis would take on new significance. They would not be mechanical; they would be preventive. “‘Mouth preparation’ is a term intended to cover all types of changes effected in the teeth or foundation ridges which may be deemed necessary to accomplish a better partial denture result.” 3 Perhaps the most frequent reason for a less than satisfactory result is that too little has been done at this stage of the procedure. Certainly, in many instances, difficulties are encountered later which easily could have been avoided. How frequently the end result of a short cut policy is that both the prosthesis and the remaining teeth are lost at an early date. This seems to be then a very false economy, as well as exceedingly poor health service.

The False Economy of the Balanced Budget

The False Economy of the Balanced Budget

Radiologists and Fractures

One of the primary uses of x-rays in diagnostic procedures is the examination of bones for the detection of fracture. The constant, daily use of this form of examination tends to produce a certain casualness or over-confidence on the part of those making the films and particularly of those responsible for their interpretation. There are two general types of opinion about the roentgen diagnosis of fracture, particularly in the smaller bones of the extremities: first, that “anyone” can “read” a fracture; second, that the specialist (radiologist) is uniquely expert and cannot overlook or misdiagnose so simple a thing. It can readily be shown that the first opinion is not correct. Instances are legion in which a referring physician has interpreted his patient's films (in the darkroom, partially processed!), reassured the patient, and sent him on his way—but has later been chagrined to find mature interpretation resulting in a diagnosis of fracture. Obviously, this is not the fault of the radiologist but the “x-ray” tends to be blamed and the method to become falsely discredited. The second opinion, that an x-ray specialist cannot overlook a fracture, would come closer to being correct if radiologists would pay closer attention to the positioning of patients and the exact technic used in the examination of a suspected fracture case. Short cuts to reduce expense are false economy. Single views (even when requested by the referring physician) without studies in the opposite plane lead eventually and inevitably to the overlooking of lesions. An anteroposterior and a lateral view often constitute adequate study of a part, but oblique projections are frequently needed as well, especially in “simple” areas like the metacarpal and metatarsal regions. Stereoscopic films, especially when viewed with the magnifying hand stereoscope, may be invaluable. One must insist on the best possible quality of roentgenograms in all bone work. Detail in the films is more important than contrast. Motion of the part during an exposure requires that it be repeated. To maintain his reputation the radiologist cannot do without the advantages of superlative technic. Another road to pitfalls in fracture diagnosis, often traversed by young radiologists, is failure during their period of training to put a proper amount of time and effort into the study of fracture cases. House officers in radiology become engrossed in finding small gastric carcinomas, and in differentiating between Boeck's sarcoid and coccidioidomycosis, while they spend little time in the refinement of osteo-logic examination and interpretation. All too often their first diagnostic blunder in private practice turns out to be the missing of a small fracture in a carpal navicular bone. And while the specialist may be forgiven for overlooking a small gastric carcinoma, he is never excused for missing a fracture. The late distinguished Dr. E. A. Merritt pointed out that osteologic examinations still constitute the major portion of the clinical practice of radiology. It therefore behooves us to be as competent as possible in this, our major field!

Size of Class and Teaching Load

THOSE who advocate larger classes in the schools maintain that such classes are preferable because they offer a better socializing and democratizing situation and contribute to a lighter load in terms of class periods per week. These advocates are not unmindful of possible reduced expenditures as a result of large classes. On the other hand, the many who strongly advocate small classes hold that the most important outcomes of teaching, such as character development and appreciations, cannot be acquired by pupils in large classes as readily as in small classes; and that these outcomes, not being measured, are overlooked in comparisons. They claim that the large class is a false economy. Conley (362) sent out questionnaires to instructors in every junior college in the United States having more than fifteen full-time instructors. Questionnaires were returned by more than 1,400 individuals. From 1,150 usable returns he found that the average class size of public junior colleges is 34.0 and that of private junior colleges is 24.2. Statistics on the size of classes in the elementary schools of New York City show an average class size of 34.7 pupils-the lowest average class size in the history of the New York public school system (385). Rosenlof (386) reported a decrease of 17 percent in the number of schools reporting an excess of 30 pupils per teacher among the secondary schools of the North Central Association for the year 1936-37. A study made by the National Education Association (381) reported a median class size of 35.1 pupils in elementary schools and an average class size of approximately 26.5 pupils for secondary teachers. (The median number of pupils per day for each teacher was 159, with an average of slightly more than six periods per day.) The data for this study were compiled from questionnaires returned by 1,649 elementaryand 2,058 secondary-school teachers. Of the 3,707 teachers returning questionnaires, 31 percent were from cities of over 100,000 population, 30 percent from cities of from 30,000 to 100,000 population, 21 percent from cities of from 10,000 to 30,000 population, and 18 percent were from cities of less than 10,000 population. Communities from 40 states were included.

The Cost of False Economy

The dictionary says that economy is, Disposition to save or spare, carefulness in outlay; freedom from extravagance or waste. On the one side is extravagance, on the other side is parsimony. The ideal path is down the middle of the road, but in a good many instances the fear of criticism causes those responsible for the operation of a water works to pare the budget too close as regards the operation and maintenance of the plant and to fail to make reasonable provision for extending the plant to meet the requirements of the consumers. They call it economy, but in reality it is false economy. It represents a failure to follow the fundamental rules of business in keeping ready for whatever reasonable demands are apt to be made on your plant. That is more than sound business doctrine; to the possessor of a monopoly it is a duty. If you can delay stave off a piece of work for fifteen years you have saved the price of it in interest ; take a chance, you may not need it.

Educators Warned of False Economy

Educators Warned of False Economy

False Economy Houses, by ARTHUR F. WICKENDEN, A.R.I.B.A., A.M.Inst.C.E., P.A.S.I. Imperial College of Science and Technology (Member)

False Economy Houses, by ARTHUR F. WICKENDEN, A.R.I.B.A., A.M.Inst.C.E., P.A.S.I. Imperial College of Science and Technology (Member)