In many problems in physics and chemistry certain determinants of large order and of a special type require to be evaluated. The determinants in question usually arise from some kind of secular equation, and in most cases they owe their origin to a system of particles of one kind or another which, in their equilibrium positions, form a regular lattice, each particle being acted upon by its nearest neighbours and perhaps by a fixed boundary. These forces may be assumed to be elastic in character, to the degree of approximation required. For simplicity we shall refer to these particles as atoms although they may be electrons, molecules or even material particles in the Newtonian sense, according to the nature of the problem under investigation. In particular we may mention the occurrence of these determinants in problems involving the solution of Schrödinger's Wave Equation for permitted energy levels and in determining the distribution of electric charge in crystals, metals and large molecules. They have also been used by Born in his investigations of crystal structure by means of X-rays. It is hoped therefore that the results achieved in this paper will be of interest to the physicist and chemist as well as to the mathematician.