On the 70th anniversary of the Leontovich boundary condition (comments on “The generalization of the Leontovich approximation to electromagnetic fields at the insulator-metal interface” by V. I. Alshits and V. N. Lyubimov)

The question of Leontovich's 70-year old boundary condition for the surface of a well conducting body is discussed. Doubt is cast on the assertion by Alshits and Lyubimov (Usp. Fiz. Nauk <b>179</b> 865 (2009) [Phys. Usp. <b>52</b> 815 (2009)]) that this boundary condition is more accurate that Leontovich himself believed. The 1940 paper by Rytov written on the suggestion of Leontovich is indicated as evidence for the latter's full awareness of exactly how accurate his proposed boundary condition was.