edition which are entitled, "The Basal Energy Metabolism Regulation of Temperature, and Spffific Dynamic Action" and "Total Energy Metabolism and Food Requirement." Two new chapters have been added, vie.. "Food Economics in the Light of the Newer Knowledge of Nutrition" and "Food Chemistry and Human Progress." In the latter chapters the author discusses. in a practical way. the important problem of correlating food prices with food values and the importance of proper nutrition in relation to longevity. In general, the entire hook has been rewritten and brought up to date. The author has the remarkable ability of choosing the most important and significant material, and of condensing a mass of valuable information into a relatively small space. without doing so at the expense of clarity or scientific accuracy. The reviewer can do no more than repeat what he wrote in reviewing the fourth edition of this excellent book, vie., "Dr. Sherman's new text will commend itself to every teacher and student who desires a well-printed text containing a wealth of chemical and nutritional information interpreted by an outstanding teacher and research worker."
Chariot of Antimony." his "Last Will and Testament," and "Twelve Keys.'' The sixth chapter deals chiefly with the musical alchemist, Count Michael Maier, and with the emblems which illustrate his writings, particularly the Atalankz Fugiens which contains both symbolic pictures and alchemical music. The seventh and last chapter discusses the Vividarium Chyminrn and Hortulus Herrnelicus Flosculis Philosophoru++t of Stolcius and the Philosophia Rcfornzata of Mylius, and compares their emblems with those of Maier. Read finds that all of Stolcius' emblems from I to XCIII may be "traced back to works published by Lucas Jennis at Franldurt, between the years 1618 and 1622, and written by Maier or Mylius." An appendix contains an essay on "The Music in Atehntn Fugims," by F. H . Sawyer, together with several of the fugues arranged in the modern manner for choral singingalso a Glassary, and Bibliography and Notes. T h e book is handsomely made and profusely illustrated, with a colored frontispiece. sixty-three other plates, seventeen figures, and additional small pictures. I t will appeal alike to scholars and to readers of
EXELWB TO CHBMISTRY. An Outline of Alchemy, its Literature and Relationships. John Rend, PhD., M.A., Sc.D., F.R.S.,
PRncrrcnr. O R G ~ I CCHEMISTRY. F. G . Mann and B. C. Sounders Cambridge University. Longmans, Green and Co., New York City. 1936. xiii 403 pp. 66 figs. 13.5 X 21.5 cm. $3.60.
Professor of Chemistry in the United College of St. Salvatar and St. Leonard in the University of St. Andrews, Scotland. The Macmillan Co.. 60 Fifth Avenue, New York City. 327 pages. Illustrated. 16 X 24 cm. $5.00. 1937. xxiv
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This is a textbook of practical organic chemistry which would require three or four afternoons per week throughout the school While Professor Read's hook does not pretend to offer an year. T h e book is divided into five parts: methods and manipuexhaustive account of the early history of chemistry, it neverthe- lations (36 pp.). preparations (164 pp.). reactions and identificaless succeeds admirably, better than any other single book with tions of organic compounds (79 pp.), quantitative analysis which we are acquainted, in conveying a correct understanding (77 pp.). and enzyme reactions (20 pp.). There is also an of the theories of early chemistry and alchemy, of their probable appendix on preparation of reagents. first aid, tables, etc. origins, of their nature and development, and of their affiliations. This volume is based "largely on the authors' experiences in It is these afFliations, the extra-chemical involvements of early the teaching of practical organic chemistry to very large classes chemistry, which constitute its avowed subject-matter. Neces- of students at Cambridge University. For such classes experisarily expounded in their relations to chemical and alchemical mental directions involving the utmost economy of chemicals theories, they illuminate the theories with a light which cannot and apparatus and also of the students' time are obviously otherwise be thrown upon them. The book in consequence is required." This clearly justifiable aim has led the authors to characterized by an exceptionally accurate insight into the base many preparations on a scale which precludes the possibility effectiveprocesses of the early history of chemistry. We see the of rigorous purification of materials by the student. That is to continuity of ideas, not the discontinuous flickering of a series of say, the student may obtain a liquid which boils a t approxibiographies. mately the same temperature as diethylmalonate, for example, The first chapter, "An Outline of Alchemy," discusses briefly and then assume that he has actually prepared the indicated the difficulty of defining alchemy, the evidences for its Chinese compound. The authors have included many test-tube experiorigin, the early practice of metallurgy in Egypt, the imitative ments in their text. arts of the Alexandrian chemists and the "transmutation by The description of most of the experiments and particularly color" theory of Hopkins, the Islamic era, the European era, and of the preparations is preceded by a short account of the theothe era of phlogiston. retical considerations involved. There is evidence throughout The second chapter on "The Literature of Alchemy" contains the bwk, of the truth of the statement in the introduction, to sections on alchemical manuscripts, the "Sum of Perfection," the effect that the experimental work described has been repeatthe Emerald Table of Hermes, the "New Pearl of Great Price," edly checked by the authors. Seldom, if ever, has the reviewer the alchemical hieroglyphics of Nicholas Flamel, the Splendor seen a laboratory manual which gave so definite evidence of the Solis, early practical chemistry (distillation and metallurgy), first hand experience of the authors with the work that they alchemical literature of the seventeenth century, symbols, describe. The d-iptions are very complete and precise. emblems, and cryptic expressions, the hylozoistic conception in The apparatus described for determining carbon, hydrogen, alchemy, the relations of alchemy to astrology, the masculine and nitrogen by combustion is very much out of date. The bindand feminine principles, and the religious element in alchemy. ing of the book is a disgrace to the publisher. T h e reviewer The third chapter discusses the Philosopher's Stone in a was shocked by the statement in the foreword by Sir Willism manner wbich makes intelligible the language, the diagrams. Pope: "Thus the centric formula for benzene advanced by and the symbolic pictures by which the alchemists were accus- Armstrong in 1887 is still the best expression of the properties of tomed to represent its preparation and properties. this hydrocarbon." The fourth chapter describes the "Hermetic Museum" and In the opinion of the reviewer there are few, if any, better Michael Maier, editor of the T r i W Aureus, and two of the three textbooks of practical organic chemistry than this volume by "nurslings of the wealthy art," Thomas Norton of Bristol and Messrs. Maun and sunders. John Cremer, Abbot of Westminster, who are represented by Hoaren ADKINS tracts in Maier's collection. The fifth chapter discusses the UNIVBBSI~Y DP W ~ C O N S I N third member of the triad, Basil Valentine, and his "Triumphal MADISON, WCSCONUN
