is covered in six sentences. Unfortunately the book occurred too early to include much of interest an the gibberellins. The book seems to he relatively free from typographical mistakes, but a n page 32 glycerol is referred to its triatomic alrohol, and on page 67 James Bomrer is referred to as C h a d e ~Ronner. CORWIN HANSCH
POMON*COLLECE C b . ~ n = r o aC ~ .~ ~ . i ~ o n u r . &
A HISTORY OF LUMINESCENCE
E. Newton Homey, Henry Fairfield Oshorn Professor of Biology, Princeton University. The American Philosophioal Society, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1957. xxiii 692 pp. SO figs. 16 X 23.5 cm. $6.
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"LUMIXESCEXCE"as defined b,y E. Wiedemann in 1888, inehldes " d l those phenomena of light which are not solely conditioned by the rise in temperature." I t thus is the antithesisof incandescence or "hot light." T h e great variety of "cold light" is indicated by the terms: phosphorescence, eleetroluminescence, fluorescence, t,riboluminescence, thermoluminescwre, radiolumineacence, pieaoluminescenre, crystalloluminesrenee, Iyoluminescence, Bte. The great field of hiolumineseenre belongs under chemilumineshenee. and in view of the author's professional field it is not surprising that an entiye section (140pages) is devoted to the light given off by living organisms. Most types of luminescence r e r e first observed centuries ago and the mysterious qualit>of this light naturally led to speculation regarding its origin. The literature is immense, and was issued in many Iangosges. The author taken the reader on a detailed and acll-planned t a w through this masn of books and papers. I n many cases, extracts are given so that the flavor of the contpmporary language is preserved. T h e relation of luminescence to fire, heat, and ordinary light inevitably involved the thoor," of these phenomena in the discussions whose interest. is thus broadened to the general render. Carollary benefits are the disrussions of learned societies, museums, outstanding texts, hiorgaphiral data, etr. In short, this bulky volume is a source book of general scientific history. I t is filled with interesting facts and important information. An extensive bibliography cowring 70 pages in small type and numerous footnotes testify to the thoroughness of the search for material to be included (or rejectod). Obviously this nas a labor of love and many ,years of scholarly research and downright hard work are represented b,v this ultimate distillate of the author's wide reading and careful cogitation. He exhibits here a. wide and accurate scqnaintanee with sciences other than biology. The caboff date (1900)was wisely chosen. This m . 8 the period of the discovery
(Catinueda page A184) JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
of the elertran and enunrintion of the quant,um theory. The theoretical intn'pretstions of luminescence have undergone hasic chances ~ i n e e1900, and thc litrrstnve has continued to grow. A volom? of e q r d size will surely lw required to cover the history of this present century, in which Iumineacenee has p l a g ~ dsuch an important part because of its practical applications: neon signs, fllmreseent IighG ine. ~ ~t,elevision. " , The reviewer is enthusiastic about thin hook. He recommends it to scientists and engineers, not only because of its intrinsic value and merit but as an oxample of what the history of s. scientific topic should he. At the modest price, it is a r e d bargsin. R l L P H E. OESPER U a l v ~ n s i r ro r C I N " , ~ * T ,
CINCINNATI, Ow0
LECTURE EXPERIMENTS IN CHEMISTRY
G. Fowles, Latymer Upper School, London. G. Bell and Sons. Ltd.. London. 1957. Fourth edition. &i 629 pp: 158 figs. 14 X 22 cm. 42s. ~~~~
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SINCE it was first published in 1937 this volume has been one of the ~ t a n d a r d references for lecture demonstrators. At first glance the first 435 pages appear to he identical m+th the third edition. (J. CHEM. EDUC., 27, 170 (19.50)). This is somewhet misleading. The literature references a t the end of pages 12 and 13 have been revised and additions made. On page 19, experiment 5A, the gaseous diffusion of hydrogen chloride and ammonia has been added and four pages inserted as 19A, B, C, and I), which contain experiments dealing with the motion and diffusion of molecules snd ions in gels, tho dependence of the rate of diffusion on temperature, and an introduction to dialysis and Brownian movement. Numerous footnotes have been added throughout the text. On page 436 the electrolysis of molten silver nitrate has been added. Chapter 6 from the third edition, Physical Principles and Common Phenomena, has been subdivided into three additional new chapters. Chapter 7, Surface Chemistry, in which the material from the third edition on the calloidnl state has been largely rearranged uith new material added dealing with gaseous and vapor absovption, ion exchange, water softening, shsorption of dycs, and paper ehramatography. Chapter 8, Catalysis, is essentially a portion of the aame material which was previously included in Chapter 6. Chapter 9, Flame Combrtstion and Explosion, is also m a t e rial from Chapter6of the previous edit,ion. An addendum incorporating recent views and more recent rcfcrenc~sha8 heen added to the first appendix entitled The Aims and Methods of Teaching. Two supplements appear as in the third edition with the exception that additional expermcnts on the conductivity of water, the electrolysis of distilled \-atel., and the preparation of cuprammonium rayon and two (Conlinued on page A l S 6 )
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
