An Introduction to the Literature of Chemistry (Mason, FA)

An Introduction to the Literature of Chemistry (Mason, F. A.). Malcolm Haring. J. Chem. Educ. , 1926, 3 (2), p 243. DOI: 10.1021/ed003p243.2. Publicat...
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12. "The Effect of Anions upon the Physical, Colloidal. aud Chemical Prooerfies of Aluminium Hydroxide;' by Lewis B. Miller. 13. "Nature of t h e Colloidal Soil Material," by P. L. a l e . 14. "The Colloid Chemistry of Soils," by Emil Truox. . 1.5. "The Power of Soils t o Ahrarb Water from Air;' hy F. 1.Alway. 16. "Mechanism of Lithopone Formation." by Charles A. Mann. 17. "An Emerimental Study of Zmulsification on t h e Basis of Distribution of Size of Partides," by Aiired J. Stamm. 18. "The Centrifugal Method for the DPtermination of the Distribution of Sire of Partide of Suspended Material," by J. B. Nichols and Henriette C. Liehe. 19. "Elasticity and Some Structural Features of Soao Solutions." hv William Seilriz. 20. "A Sim~iified Slit Ultramicrorcope/ by L. V. Foster. 21. "The Plasticity of Rubber and I t s sois1." by W. J. Keilev. 22. "A Motion Picture Study of the Infiuenee of Gelatin on Rates of Crystal Growth and Solution of Copper Sulfate;' by W. G. France. This volume serves admirably t o bring together some of the outstanding views of a few of the leaders in this field of physical science. And since thir field is developing, both theoretieally and industrially, with such great strides i t appears t o be very much worthwhile t h a t men engaged in studies on the various ramification. of colloidal behavior should get together from time t o time t o participate in an exchange of views. A t the symponiumn, one is rewarded by hearing a real exchange of opinion in t h e form of discusrions a1 t h e papers. T h e reviewer notes with extreme regret t h a t in t h e volumes which present the papers of t h e seeand and third symposiums, t h e discumion io omitted entirely. H e feels t h a t a large part of t h e benefit derived from attendance a t t h e sympmiums is lost in the pubiicatian of the papers by t h e omission of this direusnian. Some of the Paperr cover a specific series of experiments which bear on some aspects of colloidal behavior. Othcrsprcsent rather t h c f f f m f lation or development of theory or law which has resulted from t h e correlation and building together ot m a n y extensive series of experiments. There latter .eem t o be much the more important type of paper for a gathering of this nature. Among such importan1 contributions in t h e present volume, the papers of Fr'reundlich, Lecomte d e NoUy. Langmuir, and Sheppard may be mentioned as of particviar value.

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R. H.Boana Principles of Education. 1. CBOSBYCHAPMAN A N D GBoeOn S. COUNTS.Houghton Mifflin Co.. Chicago, 1924. viii 645 pp. 12.5 X 18.8 cm. $2.75.

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The reviewer will not attempt t o evalumte thir volume in terms of its ~ r v c h o l o c vnor the soundness of its philosophy, but rather in terms of its helpfulness to t h e teaeher of chemistry in our colleges and high schools. Any thovghtful teacher ir soon brought face to face with the importance of aims of hi. course. T o properly evaluate such aim. they must he projected against t h e general a i m of education as a background. The volume under review holds t h a t there are six major social aims for education: t h e furtherance of health, t h e promotion of family life, t h e ordering and humanizing of economic life, t h e advaoeement of civic life. the enrichment of recreational life and the fostering of religion. life. Whether or not we, as teaehe n of chemistry, accept these as a whole or in part, we shall find t h e effort t o relate our course's aims t o them a profitable exercise. T o what degree should t h e types of skudent taught m a d i b both content and method of a riven eourae? "This," you say, "is a question of the prychology of bath t h e student and of the subject-matter." I" this, "The Principles of Education," considers education conditioned by: original nature, habit formation, language, reficetion, and individual diRerences Would Chemical Education not be equally influenced h) such feetors? -Howl" is the interrogation of t h e one who is aeeking method. How shall we be educated? What part shall the elementary school, t h e high sehaol, t h e college take i n this process? What method shall control instruetion? Even. who shall d o the teaching? These are all considered in the fourth part of the hook. Those of us who had our psychology a generation ago will find thir a helpful modernizer of our thinking in t h a t field. And whether we welcome i t or not the social interpretation of the aims and content of school subjects is with us today in a form t h a t cannot be ignored. From these two viewpoints alone t h e book under review merits a careful reading at t h hands ~ of chemistry teachus. B. C ~ m a o s oHmonrcrs

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An Introduction t o t h e Literstvre of Chemistry. F. A. MASON. Oxford University Press, New York, 1925. 41 pp. 12.5 X 18.5cm. R.70. The title of this excellent little hook is indicative of its purpose. Herefofore i t has been a necesnary task of the teacher of advanced student* to acquaint them with t h e literature of chemistry and the best way of w i n p it. Such instruction was a p t t o be quite insufficient t o accomplish its purpose. Henee ail teachers will welcome Dr. Mason's filling of this long felt need. The book is divided into two pnrts. (11 the literature itself, (2) t h e manner of making a search. Part (1) is discussed under the following heads: General Dictionaries and Encyclopedias, Jovroalr and Periodicals. Abstract Journals, Tert-Books and Specmi Works of Reference (thin

being suitably subdivided), Special Literature of Dye Chemistry. Dr. Mason doen not claim to list more than a fraction of the reference works of merit. Never theless the critic wss surprised to note the ominsion of rveh standard work. as Taylor's two volume "Treatine on Phyrical Chemistry," Lewis and Randall's "Thermodynamics." Mulliken's "Idmtifieation of Pure organic Compounds." Seudder's "Conductivity and Ionirafion con3tantn of organic Compound." and Lewkawit.ch8s "Technolow of oils, Fats and Wares." o n page 22 Guertler's (rather than Guerta's) "Metallographie" is undovbtedly intended. However, the critic wishes t o repeat that every advanced student and teacher can profit HARINE by wing this book MALCOLM

read and dineuued a t lengthin chemicalseminars it will he declared to he admirable. But i t lacks that personal touch which t o the writer means so much in all chemical instruetion. I n a dignified composition, such as this publication, however, if might seem a bit strange, or out of place t o bring in the bersonal element. which recalls that on one oecasion when in eonuer9ation with ''Billy" Mason (yo" all know t h a t superb teacher up a t Troy), the writer timidly ventured to narrate how he taught qualitative analysil-throwing in all sorts of illustrations t o elucidate his various problems-when the dipnified Sir William P. smilingly remarked, "But you woddn't dare put all that into a book which you might write on the fa3einating subject of Qualitative Analysis." The writer was humbled and subdued, yet he couldn't rid himself of the The Story of Early Chemistry. JOHN MAXSON ever recurring thought. "Why notl" We welcome this excellent book. We mourn ST~LLIAN. D. Appleton & Co., New York, the passing away of its distinguished author. 1924. xiii f 566 pp. 13.5 X 21 em. $4.00.

This book will appeal to teachers and advanced students in chemistry. T o the former i t will give a vast fund of facts "sable in the course of their class inrtruction, while t o the latter it offers source material for their more exhaustive study. I" short, it isruppiementary in character and conrtruction, ar well as in eonteots, to most of the more recent volumes rclatingto the history of chemistry. The writer is quite sure t h a t if

E o o * ~F. S n r a TO BE REVIEWED LATER k n d a m e n t e l Concepts of Physics-Heyl. Scientific Method in Education-Trow. College Chemistry-Newell. Experiments in College Chemistry-Newell. Laboratory Chemistry for Girls-Jaques. Chemistry-Kessd.