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resembling it, is the essential constituent element of all the fusible bodies, for all of them are converted into mercury an fusion," and describes the metals in a manner later employed by the mediaeval Avicennae de Congelatione et Congluti- Latins, which shows that Avicenna had natione Lapidum. Being sections of genuine knowledge of their chemistry. the Kit% Al-Shifs, the Latin and The author is strong in his criticism Arahic texts, edited with an English of the alchemists and plain in his statetranslation of the latter and with ment that the transmutation of the metals critical notes by E. J. HOLMYARD, is impossible. Metals can be dyed, hut M.A., M.Sc., F.I.C., M.R.A.S., head their essential nature remains unchanged. of the science department, Clifton He regards it ar impossible to eliminate or College, Bristol, and D. C. MANDE- t o impart the specific differences which ~ L E Clifton , College. Librairie Ori- distinpuish them. entaliste. Paul Guethner, Paris, 1927. Again we are grateful t o Holmyard for x 86 pp. 16.5 X 24.3 cm. 15 s. giving us the benefit of his knowledge of I n this book the authors settle a question Arabic. TENNBYL. DAVIS which has for some time agitated students
on the subject in a form which is easily accessible. ROBERTD. COGHILL
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of the history of mediaeval science. They show that the liber de minerdihlrs Arisfotelis (Aristotle's book on minerals) or less satisfac"is a translation-more tory and not always c o m p l e t w f passages occurring in Avicenna's m a t work The Book of the Remedy." A Latin translation from this Arahic work of Avicenna in the Middle Ages became combined with a Latin translation from the Greek of Aristotle's "Meteoro1ogy"and the whole soon passed as the work of Aristotle. The present hook includes a mediaeval Latin version of that part of the work which was falsely ascribed t o Aristotle, the Arahic text of the same from the Kiiab al-Shife of ibn Sina (Avicenna), and an English translation of the Arahic text. The chapters from the Shif%'which are here a t issue were written after 1021 A.D. and probably before 1023. The first, on the formation of stones, rocks, and mountains, is remarkable for its accurate insight into geological phenomena. The second, on the formation of minerals, is important to students of the history of chemistry, for i t sets forth Avicenna's later and maturer views on alchemy. It contains a clear exposition of the sulfurmercury doctrine of the omposition of the metals-"that mercury, or something
Quantitative Chemical Analysis. CHARLESM. ALLEN. M.A., head of department of chemistry, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, N. Y. Second edition. John Wiley and Sons, N. Y. (Wiley Technical Series Loose-Leaf Laboratory Manual, J. M. Jameson, 86 pp. 6 figures. Editor), 1927. ii 20.5 X 26.25 cm. $1.50 net.
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This manual contains, first, a discussion of the usual general processes of Gravimetric Analysis, such as weighing, precipitation, washing, and ignition. Following this are representative gravimetric determinations: namely, complete analyses of barium chloride, magnesium sulfate, potash alum, and limestone. Under Volumetric Anslysis is fust given a discussion of general processes, volumetric measurements, standard and normal solutions and indicators. The volumetric analyses include standard acid and base, the normal acidimetric measurements, hardness of water, oxidation methods with dlchromate and permanganate, chlorine in bleach, "oxidizing power" of pyrolusite, and a few iodometric measurements. Following each determination is a list of questions and problems "designed to prevent mere mechan-
