The fundamental conception of quantitative analysis implies a necessity for all possible care in guarding against loss of material or the introduction of foreign matter.  The laboratory desk, and all apparatus, should be scrupulously neat and clean at all times.  A sponge should always be ready at hand, and desk and filter-stands should be kept dry and in good order.  Funnels should never be allowed to drip upon the base of the stand.  Glassware should always be wiped with a clean, lintless towel just before use.  All filters and solutions should be covered to protect them from dust, just as far as is practicable, and every drop of solution or particle of precipitate must be regarded as invaluable for the success of the analysis.

An economical use of laboratory hours is best secured by acquiring a thorough knowledge of the character of the work to be done before undertaking it, and then by so arranging the work that no time shall be wasted during the evaporation of liquids and like time-consuming operations.  To this end the student should read thoughtfully not only the !entire! procedure, but the explanatory notes as well, before any step is taken in the analysis.  The explanatory notes furnish, in general, the reasons for particular steps or precautions, but they also occasionally contain details of manipulation not incorporated, for various reasons, in the procedure.  These notes follow the procedures at frequent intervals, and the exact points to which they apply are indicated by references.  The student should realize that a !failure to study the notes will inevitably lead to mistakes, loss of time, and an inadequate understanding of the subject!.

All analyses should be made in duplicate, and in general a close agreement of results should be expected.  It should, however, be remembered that a close concordance of results in “check analyses” is not conclusive evidence of the accuracy of those results, although the probability of their accuracy is, of course, considerably enhanced.  The satisfaction in obtaining “check results” in such analyses must never be allowed to interfere with the critical examination of the procedure employed, nor must they ever be regarded as in any measure a substitute for absolute truth and accuracy.

In this connection it must also be emphasized that only the operator himself can know the whole history of an analysis, and only he can know whether his work is worthy of full confidence.  No work should be continued for a moment after such confidence is lost, but should be resolutely discarded as soon as a cause for distrust is fully established.  The student should, however, determine to put forth his best efforts in each analysis; it is well not to be too ready to condone failures and to “begin again,” as much time is lost in these fruitless attempts.  Nothing less than !absolute integrity! is or can be demanded of a quantitative analyst, and any disregard of this principle, however slight, is as fatal to success as lack of chemical knowledge or inaptitude in manipulation can possibly be.