RECENT BOOKS CHEMISTRY OR THE PROTEINS.Dorothy Jordan Lloyd, Director of the British Leather Manufacturers' Research Association, and Agnes Shore, London School of Medicine for Women. Second Edition. P. Blakiston's Son and Co., Inc., Philadelphia. 1938. xi 532 pp. 101 figs. 13 X 20.5 cm. $5.50. The first edition of this hook appeared in 1926. Smce that date there has been an enormous expansion of the literature of the proteins, and much order has begun to appear from the earlier chaos. I t is entirely fitting, therefore, that this second and muchexpanded edition should he welcomed a t the present time. Among all of the workers in the field of proteins there are probably none who can write with greater authority in the field than can Dr. Jordan Lloyd, since a continuous stream of research papers on the most diverse phases of protein chemistry have. during the past many years, continued t o came from her laboratories. and she is internationallv recoenized as an authoritv on " Icathcr ehcmisrry and the chemirtry of the hide proteins. The present vulurnc is much more than a revision of the firrt edition It is a complete rewriting and re-uraluar~onof the whject and presents a satisfactory cross-section of the literature of the field. The hook is divided into two parts and fourteen chapters. Part I covers the Nature and Constitution of the Proteins, The Different Classes of Proteins, The Methods of Protein Analysis, The Individuality of the Proteins. The Biochemistry of Proteins and Amino Acids, The Proteolytic Enzymes, and The Linkages in the Protein Molecule. Part I1 includes the mare physico-chemical phases, such as The Architecture of the Protein Molecule, The Combination of Proteins with Acids and Alkalies, The Properties of Protein Solutions, The Absorption and Loss of Water by Gels and Tissues. The Specific Effects of Salts on Protein Solutions, Denaturation and Coagulation, and The Theory of Protein Solntions. By-and-large the topics are adequately discussed, and the appropriate literature citations are indicated. Occasionally, however, one wishes that the authors had been somewhat more critical in their comments. for quite frequently diverse viewpoints of protein workers are cited with no indication as to which viewpoint (if any) is favored by the authors. I n the opinion of the reviewer, however, such uncritical treatment as does occur is infinitely to he preferred to a biased treatment which some authors occasionally adopt, whereby only those viewpoints agreeing with a oreconceived thearv are deemed worthv of mention. Certainlv in the present volume the authors have attempted t o present all aspects of the problem. The paper, printing, and binding are excellent, and typographical errors are relatively rare and as a rule easily recognizable as such. There are a few statements of fact which the reviewer would question, such as (page 8). "Nearly all known amino acids are found in nearlv all known oroteius." and (napes 76 and 253) that the protarnines are the characte&ic Gotiin af fish "roe." Adequate author and subject indexes areprovided. The volume is highly recommended by the reviewer, particularly because it may be taken by the American scientist as representing the viewpoint of the English workers in the field of the proteins. R~~~ kgEN G~~~~~~
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TEBUNIYBII~Y os MINNESOTA MINNB*POLIS,
MlNNBSOT*
CRYSTAL C ~ s w s m . C. W.Stillwell. Dennison Manufacturing Company. McGraw-Hill Book Company. hc.9 New York City, 1938. vii 431 PP. 72 figs. 13.5 X 20.5 cm. 54.50. This little hook was intended by its author to be a combination of elementary text and a starting point for further study. It deals with sizes of atoms and ions, the nature of the metallic state, the structures and properties of alloys, structure of cam-
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pounds, and the fiber state. I t is really a noteworthy summary of the literature on the chemical side of crystal structure and, as such, is heartily recommended to all teachers of chemistry. Opinions will probably differ widely as to the point in a chemistry curriculum a t which such material should be introduced. I n the opinion of your reviewer, the author is pretty optimistic when he states his belief that freshmen in chemistry can profit by a two weeks' exposure t o this material. Freshmen are apt to get enthusiastic about "top" before they have a solid foundation of "bottom." If your reviewer were to criticize this hook a t all it would he not on the basis of its actual contents but rather on the basis of the philosophy in accordance with which it has obviously been written. I t is very evident that the author believes current scientific theoryand accepts it wi(halmost the unquestioning fervor of a theologian. The hook has been written from the standpoint that "matteris thusandso" instead of from the standpoint that "matter has the same properties that it would he found to have if it were thus and so." I t must be repeated to each generationof students that no true scientist bclievcs his theories-he only user them; he does not take them for trulh, but only as convenient analogies which are useful only in so far as they enable him to predict experimental results to within the precision to which he is interested. Belief in the truth of scientific theories should be limited to newspaper reporters. A textbook or a reference book in physics or chemistry should not even imply that current theory is correct. I t should, instead, always imply that any theory has only one chance in infinity of being correct, but that it may be an extremely useful theory, nevertheless. If the author had written from such a point of view he would not only have had a noteworthy hook-he would have had an outstanding book. But perhaps it is asking too much t o expect everyone, even every worker in science, to be a one hundred per cent. skeptic. We might hope, however, that some day it will be considered a proper beginning for each class in college science t o quote Dr. W. R. Whitney's proverb, "Nine tenths of the literature and one tenth of every textbook is incorrect." Sometimes he shortened this to the blunt statement-"If it's in theliterature, it isn't so." I n spite of your reviewer's sermon, every teacher of chemistry and most teachers of physics should own CRYSTAL CHEMISTRY as a reference book. They will all find i t stimulating a t least, and most of them will find it useful on many occasions. WHEELERP. DAVBY PBNNSYLV*NI* %*TB COL.BOB S T ~ COLLEGE. B PBNNSYLYANIA
A COURSEIN C n s m w SPECTROSCOPY. H. W. Thom$so~011, M.A. (Oxon.). Ph.D. (Berlin), Lecturer in Chemistry, Oxford University. Oxford University Press. London, 1938. iii 86 pp. 8 plates and 27 diagrams. 14 X 22.5 cm. 8.25. This book is intended to be a laboratory manual for a course designed to teach chemistry students what spectra look like and how they are photographed. The material covered includes the principal lines and the types of series in atomic spectra, a comparison of arc, spark, and flame emission spectra, the general featuresof a hand spectrumand therotationalstructureof a hand. various types of band absorption spectra with their interpretstion in terms of potential energy curves, a discussion of pre-dissociation, bond energies, and the Morse potential energy curve, and, lastly, absorption bands in the photographic infra-red. s he equipment required includes a glass and a quartz prism spectrograph and a &meter grating instrument. For the use of those who do not have this equipment available, excellent photographs of the spectra under consideration are to he found with each experiment and enough data are given so that the assigned problems can he performed. "The theory involved in each of the experiments is incorporated into each of them, and it is hoped
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that in this form the book may be of some value, not only as a guide far practical work, hut also as an elementary theoretical survey of the various topics both for students and teachers, as well as for other workers in physical chemistry who are desirous of learning something of the more important features of chemical spectroscopy." I n the opinion of the reviewer this book, in spite of its many admirable features, fails to accomplish its purpose, primarily because of its excessive brevity. Too much is crowded into eighty-two pages. The instructions for the experiments are clear, hut are rather scanty for one who has had no spectroscopic experience. The theoretical sections read like an abstract of a textbook on spectra. One who is fairly well acquainted with the subject may find the r6sum6 quite valuable, hut the neophyte will probably he appalled a t the high concentration of none-toosimple ideas. An attempt is made to mitigate this situation by references t o other texts and reviews. (Strangely enough, no mention is made of the excellent reviews by Mulliken.) If a student can learn from the sources t o which he is referred, much of this hook is unnecessary. On the other hand, if a student needs an introduction to spectroscopy, this hook will probably he of little help. A deficiencyof another kind lies in the fact that nowhere in this hook is there a mention of spectroscopic methods applied to chemical analysis. The omission of this important and growing branch of chemical spectroscopy, in the reviewer's opinion, does much to lessen the hook's value as an elementary text. To summarize--this hook is not suitable as a textbook, If it were t o he expanded judiciously t o three times its present size, its value would be much more than tripled. E. J. ROSENBA~M TBB UNlVBRSlTY CIIICAGO.
OF CA.C*OO
IL~OIS
E w s ~ m mm s ORGANICC ~ M I S T R YLucius . Junius Derha, Professor of Chemistry, and Lark% Hundley Farinhalt, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Washington and Lee University. McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., New York City, 1938. xi 233 pp. 23 figs. 13.5 X 20.5 m. $1.75.
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The purpose of this book is well expressed in the preface.
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. . . to provide a program of laboratory work closely correlated
with Desha's textbook, ORGANICCFiEM1STR.Y. It is justified by the distinctive order of presentation adopted in that text and by the experience that such correlation between laboratory and classroom work, in an introductory science, is the only way to derive the maximum advantage from either." A great measure of the value in this manual lies in the systematic cdrdination of the synthetic and analytic technics of organic chemistry. The order of presentstion followed for each class of compounds may be briefly summarized as follows: (1) Preparative Method, (2) Physical Properties, (3) Chemical Properties, (4) Detection and Classification Reactions, and (5) Preparation of Derivatives for Identification. Headings in holdface type render these divisions easily recognizable. The continued emphasis on classification reactions and the preparation of derivatives provides a rich background for the identification of unknowns outlined in the last chapter. The parallel study of alinhatic and aromatic comnounds sim~lifiesthe ~erformanceof rhc operalions listed ahove, since thc more familiar compounds of the aromatic srrics can IBP srlrlctcd adwntageoucly brrause of the greater ease in handling. Detailed directions on laboratory operations have been distributed throughout the manual. I n many instances they may be found as notes appended to each section. The general index, together with frequent cross references, renders these directions readily accessible. Questions are confined to matters directly related to the operation being performed and are inserted immediately after the directions for conducting that operation. The manual is essentially free of formulas, equations, and discussions of chemical principles. Page references to Desha's textbook are supplied wherever such information is needed. The manual includes moat of the preparations that are considered standard in a
h j t wurss in organic rhcmisrq. I n addition ro rhcse prcparafiuni a large number of small-scale preparations and test-tut,e reactions bare heen inrludcd. IndeeJ, i r provides consideral.ly more work than can he performed in six hours of laboratory work per week for a period of one year. I t is quite obvious that this manual would present its maximum utility when used in conjunction with Desha's classroom text. However, the advantages inherent in the adopted order of presentation warrant the seilous consideration of any instructor of first-year organic chemistry. The fact that this hook belongs to the International Chemical Series requires no further comment on the manner of printing and binding. R. R. LEGAWL1 BUU(N&LL UNIVBRO~ ~ W L S ~ U PBNNSYLVAWI* E ~ .
T s x r ~ o -o xoa ORGANICCHEMISTRY.Gearre Holmes Richter. John W i l e ~and Sons, New York City, 1938. vi 711 pp. 14.5 X 23 cm. $4.00.
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The author in his preface states that ". this hook is directed specifically to that large body of ambitious students who wish to study beginning organic chemistry and gain more than a superficial knowledge of the subject. The descriptive material is limited to a minimum and such necessary information is usually presented in tables. . The electron theory of valence has not been unduly emphasized. . . Therefore, in accordance with the author's plan, there is definitely more material than in the average elementary organic text and more than would usually he given in a one-year course. The biochemical and pharmacological side has been emphasized to an unusual degree. The make up and printing are excellent, the text is clearly written, and typographical errors or errors of fact are very rare. The subject matter is satisfactorily up t o date. The arrangement is the conventional one, the individual chapters dealing with the following subjects: the saturated and unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons (including the cycloparaffines, carotene, rubber, Carothers' theory of polymerization), the mono- and polyhydric alcohols (including cholesterol, ergosterol. vitamins A, D and D2, phytol), ethers, aldehydes and ketones (sex hormones), monohasic acids (geometrical isomerism), halogen derivatives of the hydrocarbons (rearrangement of halides, relative reactivity, fourteen pages of the Grignard reaction), acyl halides, acid anhydrides, esters, oils, fats and waxes (metabolism, of fats), acid amides (urea and drugs related to urea), cyanides, isocyanides, isocyanates and aliphatic nitro compounds, amines. compounds of sulfur, polybasic acids (malonic ester synthesis, the barbiturates the Michael reaction, Diels-Alder reaction), halogenated acids, hydroxy acids and optical isomerism, aldehydic and ketonic acids (tautomerism, the acetoacetic ester condensation, nreides and purine derivatives), carbohydrates and derivatives (cardiac aglycones, nucleic acid, vitamin C), amino acids, and proteins. The aliphatic compounds are described in the first four hundred fifty-six pages, the remainder of the text dealing with aromatic and heterocyclic compounds, the chapters being the following: benzene, chemistry of the simple aromatic hydrocarbons, the aryl amines, the phenols and amiuophenols, aromatic arsenic derivatives, aromatic alcohols, aldehydes and ketones, aromatic acids (tannins, thyroxine), polynuclear aromatic compounds (diphenyl, naphthalene, authracene, and so forth), coal-tar dves naees). . itwentv-three . . ,. heterocvclic srstems (includine hemin. chlor&hvll. and some of the aikaloidsi The arrangement of the subject matter of a typical chapter (Alcohols) follows this plan: definition, isomerism, nomenclature, classes (primary, secondary, and tertiary, or, as ahbreviated, 1'. 2'. and 3'), synthesis, reactions, test for the OH group, oxidation, dehydration. This is followed by a more specific discussion of some of the individual alcohols, and of the
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