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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states of matter. The authors believe that certain marked advantages are obtained by doing this. However, there will prohably be considerable disagreement with this view due t o the prevailing diversity of opinion as t o what is a really logical order of presentation. Certainly i t leads to some questionable prmedures, such as discussing ionic equilibria before discussing the theory of ionization and its wnsequences. Another novelty which is to he highly commended is the consideration of colloid phenomena wherever reference must he made t o such phenomena. Of course there is a separate chapter on surface chemistry, hut the matter is no longer treated as if i t were a totally distinct aspect of theoretical chemistry. This is a decided advantage as it serves t o emphasize the interweaving of natural phenomena. The h w k contains 51 tables of useful data (culled largely from International Critical Tahles) and snficient, although not abundant, references. Interest is aroused by inclusion in suitable elementary form, of such recent developments as Stem's work on molecular rays, para- and, artho-hydrogen, wave mechanics. the Dehye-Hiickel theory, etc. Especially noteworthy are the treatment of the thermodynamic aspects of physical chemistry, the chapters on rates and mechanisms of reactions, atoms, molecules, the activation of atoms and molecules, and the discussion of electromotive force. There is an abundance of new and very pertinent problems. Naturally the size of a hook of this character must not be such as t o diswurage an appetite for study, hut it does seem that a few items might have been included without defeating this object. For instance, there is no derivation of the reaction isotherm, steam distillation is dismissed with a sentence or so. the Harkins' correction on the weight of the falling drop is mentioned by literature reference alone. there is very little on viscosity, and the dissociation of salt hydrates is discussed in two places and that rather scantily. A
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fuller treatment of the calculations and methods of crystal sttucture analysis would be helpful. The omission of the usual preliminam treatment of fundamental laws, methods for determining atomic weights, etc., may not he regretted hy the student hut certainly is hy the reviewer. These subjects are seldom treated in earlier courses as fully as they deserve. Unfortunately the signs of e. m. f. values do not conform to the most general convention of today. To sum up, this is a very well written, interesting and stimulating text. It implies some things that might well he stated more enplicitly,.but the properly qualified teacher can easily expand upon them himself. The h w k should meet a cordial reception and the authors are to be heartily congratulated. M. HARINO MALCOLM UWlVBRSrrY OP M*EYL*ND
COLLBGB PAAK,MAXYLAND
Unit hocesses and Principles of Chemical Engineering. JOHN C. OLSEN, Ph.D., D.Sc., Professor of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnic Institute, Brooklyn, N. Y.. Formerly Secretary m d President of the American Institute of Chemical Engineering. D. Van Nostrand Co., Inc., New York City, 1932. 558 pp. 171 Figs. 13.5 X 21.5 xiv an. $5.00.
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Professor Olsen, with the help of collaborators, has created the first hook written in English presenting in introduction t o the general field of chemical engineering. The author covers not only the "unit operations" but also certain indnstrial chemistry studies. There are chapters on economics, plant location, materials of construction, and data an chemical equipment design. This last-named subject is a portion of what might he called "chemical unit processes" t o differentiate them from "unit operations" which are almost entirely physical in nature. This hook attempts to give a brief summaryof the entire suhiectatrulylaudable purpose. The result is an extremely in-
