Recent Books An Introduction to Chemistry. A Pandemic Text. J o m ARRENDTMM, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Yale University. With a Foreword by JOHNJOHNSTON, Director of Research U. S. Steel Corporation. Second edition. McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., New York City, 1932. xx 553 pp. 151 Figs. 14 X 20cm. $3.50.
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pandemic chemistry developed by Bancroft and the reviewer, the present compromise must have given him same trepidation for the health of the student. Whatever may be the differences of opinion on the relative importance of the theoretical and the applied, there is widespread appreciation for the value of the historical method whenever i t may be used without unduly lengthening the discussion. By the judicious selection of historical facts and personal incidents the author has made a remarkable addition to the present edition. This text will find an increasing field of usefulness as teachers of chemistry recognize that there are evils more to he feared than that of being charged with superficiality. For the educator who fears to enter the field of pandemic chemistry because of this charge, the following words credited to Dr. E. T. Bell, mathematician of the California Institute of Technology, will prove arresting: "We are all laymen and largely ignoramuses outside onmown narrow specialities." CoLeoz JOHNR. SAMPEY
Significant changes have been made in the second edition [for a review of the . 8, first edition, see J. C ~ M EDUC., 411-2 (Feb., 1931)l of this text. The author writes in the Preface: "It was the opinion of many that the mathematical treatment of the theory could be made less di5cult. and, in some instances, eliminated without losing any of the essential philosophical implications of the theory. Accordingly, this has been done in most cases in the second edition. . . . The chapter on alloys, in which the use of phase-equilibrium diagrams was discussed, has been eliminated as too difficult far the average student. The composition and properties of the common alloys have been added to the chapters on metals in general and on iron and BrswrNcaAM, A L ~ B A M A steel. The material on energy and its to chemistry has heen con. An Introductory Course in Physical Chemsiderably condensed without, however, istry. WORTH H u m RODEBUSH, Ph.D.. its importance to modern Professor of Physical Chemistry, University of Illinois, and ESTHERKITphysical T,, give a more -DGE RODE~H M , A D. Van Noscomplete picture of the economic importrand Co., Inc., New York City, 1932. tance of chemistry, a chapter an the ceramics industries hm heen added, x i i i f 4 2 1 PP. 109 Figs. 22 X 1 4 m . Finally, the subject matter has been $3.75. brought up t o date and new material The title of this work is somewhat mison the history of chemistry has been lesding since the contents render it quite added." suitable for a standard senior course in the T o give a more sympathetic under- subject. The arrangement of subject standmg of chemical industries a t the matter is decidedly novel and is well worth expense of some mathematical exactness the consideration of any teacher of physishould not lessen the value of the text cal chemistry. The whole subject of for the liberal arts student. But after equilibrium is introduced a t a very early what Dr. Timm had t o say in the Preface stage immediately following the usual conto the first edition concerning the type of sideration of the gaseous, liquid, and solid 1839
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