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JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
SEPTEMBER, 1931
ogy, Oregon State University, and COLLABORATORS.George Thieme Verlag. 741 Leipzig. Germany, 1931. xiii pp. 126 figs. 17 X 25 cm. M. 47.-, geb. M. 49.50.
that the baok is written for physicians as well as biologists; and no doubt any one who reads it will profit from doing so. The best chapters, in the reviewer's opinion, are those by Prof. Spek. They are clearly and interestingly written, accuBesides Professor Gellhorn, the editor, rate, inspiring, critical, and written in an and author of the first section, pp. 1-232. easy, flowing style. Pmf. Oppenheimer on the Cell as a Physical-Chemical Sysbrings much together in his attempt a t tem, the fallowing men have codperated the impossible task of presenting the whole to produce the hook: PROF. CARLOPof biochemistry in a few pages. Prof. PENHErMER 0f Berlin. Section 11. pp. 235Asher presents the recent important wark 429 on the Chemistry and Energetics of on the importance of the time element in Cell Processes; PROP.SPEKof Heidelberg, excitation. Both Prof. Spek and Prof. on The Cell as a Morphological System. Asher dominate their subjects; but Prof. pp. 431-52, and the General Physiology of Gellhom and Prof. Oppenheimer seem Development and Attainment of Form, to be dominated by theirs. pp. 457-598; Pnoa. LEON ASHER of I do not helieve the book will live or will Bern, on the General Physiology of Exhave more than a passing value. citatory Processes, pp. 603-81; and PROF. ALBERTP. MATHEWS W. v. B ~ D D E N B R ~ofC KKid, , on the Tropisms. pp. 687-727. The names of the authors are a guarantee of the soundness of the contents of the book, since each is a Annual Survey of American Chemistry. Volume V, 1930. Edited by CLARENCE master of his field. J. WEST under the auspices of the The book as a whole is, however, disDivision of Chemistry and Chemical appointing. It aims to he and is rather a Technology of the National Research textbook than a handbook. I t is not an Council. Published for the National exhaustive compendium and references Research Council by the Chemical Cataare only sometimes given, although a t log Co.. NewYork City. 1931. 629 pp. the end of the chapters there is a pretty 13 X 21 cm. 55.00. good list of references, mainly German.
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except in two of the chapters, where more detailed information can be obtained. Being written by a group of men it lacks unity. I t is not a good textbook for this reason; and it is not a good handbook either. I t cannot compare, for example, in interest and suggestiveness, with Bayl i d "General Physiology." Many of the chapters are very dull reading, but no one can read the whole volume without learning many new an.3 instructive things. I t lacks all philoswhical outlook. Indeed it may be said. I think, that no editor would edit or compile a hook of this sort if he had any philosophical outlook. There is no doubt a place for books of this kind, which give a fair compilation of present factual knowledge about some interesting things; but their usefulness is a limited one. The intra3uction states
This volume is uniform in format with its predecessors. Content and organization follow the established policies. Chapters which appeared in Volume IV hut are omitted from Volume V are as follows: Oxidation-Reduction Potentials; Heavy Acids; Chromium; Nickel; Stereochemistry; Ceramic Products; Solvents and Lacquers; Synthetic Resins. For Electrochemistry has been substituted Application of Electrochemistry and for Rayon, Synthetic Yarns. New chapters are as follows: Subatomic Phenomena; Physical Methods in Analytical Chemistry; The Rare Earths; Cement and Concrete; Chemistry of the Silicates; Paints, Varnishes and Lacquers; Chemical Economics. I t is perhaps worthy of mention that, whereas Volume IV covered a period of
VOL.8, NO. 9
RECENT BOOKS
eighteen months and contained 549 pages, Volume V for the calendar year 1930 contains 629 p a g e s a n d this without any appreciable expansion in the discussion of the subjects covered. OTTOREINMUTH Associate Editor Annual Reports on the Progress of Chemistry, 1930. Volume XXVII. The Chemical Society, London, England. Richard Clay & Sons. Ltd., Bungay, Suffolk. England, 1931. 13.5 X 20.5 cm. 10s. Bd. net (postage 6d.). From the teacher's standpoint this survey is in many respects a more useful work than the American. While the range of subjects covered is of necessity somewhat limited, the scope of the reviews is international and a better picture of the progress of theoretical chemistry is presented. The volume contains the following reports: General and Physical Chemistry.
By C. N. HIN-
SHBLWOOD.
Inorganic Chemistry. By H. B ~ s s a r r . or5anie Chcmi~try: Part I-Aliphatic Division. By E. n. F*nnsn. Part 11.-Hamayclk Division. By G. M. nfiNwm.
Part 111.-Heterocyclic
DiviJlon.
B y S. G.
P.
PLANT.
Analytical Chemistry. ELLIS.
By J. J. Pox and B. A.
Biahemistry. By A. C. CHIBNALLand J. Pnvns. Geochemistry. By A. F. H . ~ ~ n u o ~ o . Kadioacfivify and Subatomic Phcnomcna 0919-50). By A. S. Russe~r. E1ectcic:~l Conductivity of Solution.. By (Sm) H . HmrLsu. 0.GATTY,W. A. MACPARLANE. and D. M.MURBAI-RUST.
Orro REINMUTH Associate Editor Algebraic Charts. EDGAR DEHN. Nomographic Press, New York City, 1930. 26 pp. 15.5 X 23.5 cm. $1.50.
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This text consists of six charts by which it is possible by the use of graphical methods to obtain approximate values of the roots of various algebraic equations. Chart 1 is intended for the solution of quadratic equations with real r w t s ; Chart 2 for cubic equations with real roots; Chart 3 for cubic equations with
1909
imaginary roots: Chart 4 for both quadratic and cuhic equations with real or imaginary root.; Chart 5 for cubic equations with a real root; and Chart 6 for biquadratic equations with a real root. For Charts 2, 3, and 6 the equations to be solved must be converted into a special, "reduced" form; while in Charts 3 and 4 further com~utationsare rewired before the final values of the roots are obtained. As presented, the printed instructions must be followed by "rule-of-thumb" methods by those non-mathematically inclined. The final answers are then only approximate, conditioned by the accuracy of interpolation of a "straigbt-edge," which must he used to read various values from the charts. These charts might be of service to teachers of mathematics in providing iuteresting applications of the principles of analytic geometry and of the theory of algebraic equations. "They would introduce into schools a hit of nomography whose educational merits have not sufficiently been appreciated." CHAS.G. E~CHLIN U ~ l v e a s l r vor' M A R Y L A N D COLLBCD PAPY, M".
MISCELLANEOUS PUBLICATIONS Special Jubilee Number, Chemistry & Industry, July, 1931. The Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry, Central House, 46 Finrbnry Square, London. E. C. 2. 272 pp. Price, 10s. "This s~ecialJubilee Number of the Society's Journal contains not only historical information of interest to the members of the Society; it contains short biographies of many notable men and reprints of a number of papers published in earlier volumes of the Journal. These reprints should be of permanent value to those who investigate the history of the chemical industry." The table of contents of this volume includes the following: Introduction, History of the Society. Portraits of members of the Council. History of the Sections. History of the Journal, Presidents and
