BOOKS
BEYOND T H E FLYLEAF The Evolution of Chemistry. EDUARD FARBER. ix -f 349 pages. The Ronald Press Co.,'15 East 26th St., New York 10, Ν. Υ. 1952. $6.00. Reviewed by HENRY M. LEICESTER, College of Phy
sicians and Surgeons, San Francisco, Calif.
FOR some time there has been need for a history of chemistry which embodies the newer and broader concepts devel oped recently by workers in the wider field of the history of science. The older view, which treated the development of chemistry as an isolated series of events bearing little relation to contemporary movements, is no longer satisfactory. The present book will help to remedy this situation. It considers chemistry in relation to the philosophical background which prevailed at each stage of its evo lution. While the brevity of the work makes it difficult to show this relationship consistently, the approach is new and stimulating and should suggest ideas to both the specialist and the more general reader. The book is divided into three parts. The rather sliQrt first section covers the entire development of chemistry to the end of the eighteenth century. The second part is a more detailed consideration of
Electrochemical Data B.E. Conway Research Chemist» The Chester Beatty Research Institute» London For the First Time a Volume Devoted Exclusively to Tables for Theoretical and Applied Electrochemistry Tbit work contain» pbjraico-chemic·! dit», not geoeratly •vtiltble «n handbook·· on aipcct* of ctcctroebemittrjr for which inforRuuuo of koowoftccurac)ι» available. It con* tain· oot onljr 4 m oo pure eleccrocbcmiurjr «ucb a» électrode potential·, tolratioo and ionic interaction in aqueou» and ooo»ao,ueou· solution·, bot aUo information oo the quantitative aspect· of applied «lectrochcrniirnr. Section» ire included on the electrochemistry of «lag· and fusai melt» ind application· in the 6eld of biopbjr«ic*. Tbi» book cover· · wide variety of need» from those of the purcljr scientific research worker· in chemistry, pbyaic· and biolojcy to industrial workers. You may buy this volume «t your bookuore ot order di· rrct on a ICVdsy approval ba»i·.
Electrochemical Data 374 Pages $8.75 D. E. Conway» Ph.D.» D.I.C. 269 Tables
ELSEVIER PRESS 402-A Love» Blvd., Houston 6, Texas 300 Ptrk Avenue. New York. New York
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the developments of the nineteenth century, and the last section describes the chief industrial and practical developments of the present day. The work is thus essentially a short history of modern chemistry. It should be particularly valuable to graduate students for its explanation of what lies immediately behind the developments they are studying in their general courses. This, in turn, should stimulate many to look more deeply into the earlier concepts and ideas which, as Farber points out, are the fundamental bases of our modern theories. Pressure-Volume-Temperature Relationships o f O r g a n i c C o m p o u n d s . R . B .
DREISBACH. xi -f- 303 pages. Handbook Publishers, Inc., Sandusky, Ohio. 1952. $10. Reviewed by FREDERICK D .
ROSSINI, Carnegie Institute of Technology.
T H I S book presents, for a large number of organic compounds, grouped according to 23 "Cox Chart" families, tables of vapor pressures and boiling points, and of heats of vaporization, for pressures from 0.1 to 760 mm. The usefulness of the tables is greatly increased by means of simple equations with numerical constants which are provided for evaluating changes of boiling point with pressure, changes of heats of vaporization with temperature, densities of the liquid and vapor states, critical temperatures, flash points, and deviations of vapors from the ideal gas laws. In addition to providing reliable values for compounds for which accurate experimental data have been obtained, these tables and accompanying equations permit estimation of values of these properties for substances for which meager or no experimental data are available. This book will be particularly use· ful to research investigators and design and plant engineers whose work involves vapor pressures and heats of vaporization.
tion contained in this book. One is told how furnaces are built and how they func tion. The first and second laws of thermo dynamics are then introduced and it is shown how they apply in furnace opera tion. The rate and mechanism of heat re lease in both solid and liquid fuels are next considered. Here a good deal of valuable, fundamental information is pro vided, always with an eye to furnace ap plications. The next logical step is to pre sent the subject of heat transfer and this the author does effectively and with great economy of space. The aerodynamics of a hot system is a subject that is only be ginning to receive the attention it de serves in furnace design. Heretofore it has been difficult to observe the actual gas flow pattern. One can readily appreciate the importance of such knowledge for effective furnace design and the author and his colleagues have contributed much to this development. Having concerned himself with exposition of the scientific principles which fix the design of the furnace, the author concludes the book with very practical discussion of the extent to which a design is permitted by the materials available, the principles of con struction which lead most nearly to the achievement of the desired performance with the materials available, and finally a survey of limitations of the scientific method and the extent to which one can hope to apply it. There is also a section on the process of inventing a new furnace. Five of the seven chapters are followed by summaries of practical data, formulas, and important statements that should be of aid in considering the elements of fur nace design. It should be stated that only furnaces heated by flames are considered, while electric furnaces are entirely omitted. This valuable book is recommended to student and industrial engineer alike. It is clearly written and amply illustrated. Der Ingenieru Im Chemtebetrted. FRIEDRICH JAHNE. 204 pages. Vcrlag Chemie, GMBH. Weinheim/Bergstrasse, Ger many. 1951. DM 14.80. Reviewed by R. NORRIS SIIREVE, Purduo University.
XIUS very interesting book represents the The Science of Flames and Furnaces. M. account of the author's more than 40 W. THIUNG. xiv + 416 pages. John years activity in the chemical industry. Wiley & Sons, Inc., 440 Fourth Ave., The author says "this book is no text New York 1β, Ν. Υ. 1952. $6.50. Re book." He frankly refers in his foreword viewed by BERNWW> LEWIS, Bureau of to "Ullmann" and other monographs for Mines. more technical details. He lays stress in I N the past the design of furnaces for in· the first words in his Chapter 1 on the dustrial processes has been in the cate place of engineers in the clicmical indus· gory of the craftsman's "art·*· Previous try and of the great importance of the experience played an important role in human clement in running any factory. considerations of tho layout of α new fur The book treats such subjects as ( Chap nace for α new Job. Today this approach ter 3) the Planning and Erection of a must perforce remain, but the furnace de Chemical Factory, laying stress on such sign engineer will And that he is greatly varied plants as those for the making of aided by another important tool, namely, chlorine, nzo colors, and pharmaceuticals» the results of fundamental research. It is Including tableting and packaging of the the virtue of this book that it attempts to latter products. Another chapter ( 7 ) em· put furnace design on a scientific basis, braces tho fundamental procedures of tho and in this it seems to have largely suc operation technique wherein the author ceeded. classifies separation—for example» under the In a short review it is impossible to do terms solid-solid, solid-liquids, solid-vapor» Justice to the wealth of practical Informa liquid-liquid» liquid-vapor, and vapor-
CHEMICAL
AND ENGINEERING
NEWS
vapor. He considers purification under the same classification. In other chapters are various other important factors in the running of any successful factory, such as energy, water, transportation, storage, waste disposal, cost calculations, compensation and health conditions. This book is of value for any young man who wants to comprehend the overall picture of what a manager in a chemical factory must do if the establishment under his control is to be successful. The virtue of the book lies in this rather than in any special technical contribution, important though these are on many pages. In reading this book it must be borne in mind that the work of the engineer ("Ingénieur") in the German factory is that of the chemical engineer in the American counterpart. The author does confuse conditions prevailing in the American factories, wherein the chemists carry on the initial research and also the control operations, with the chemical engineer taking over the pilot plant and the factory. The publishers have performed an excellent job of printing.
written between the years 1938 and 1950, inclusive. A paper on some aspects of mass spectrometry in France, though interesting and informative, seems somewhat out of place in the volume. Nevertheless the book as a whole i s a distinct contribution to the art and science of mass spectrometry, and should be in all reference libraries of laboratories using this instrument, whether for research or quality control purposes.
four main groups dealing, respectively, with aspects of the ionization and dissociation of molecules, mass spectrometrical instrumentation and application, and concluding with papers on the preparation of standard gases. It is somewhat surprising that in a country which saw the birth of the mass spectrometry, its adoption by industry should appear to be still in the formative stage. In spite of this, and the fact that the panel at the time of the meeting was just over a year old, the report is a valuable and comprehensive one. The papers are well organized and each presents to the reader a great deal of useful information. In addition to the usual bibliography with each paper, there is an excellent and rather complete bibliography in the mass spectrometer, containing those references
NEW
BOOKS
About Atoms. 38 pages. A. C. CREHORE, 1652 East 117th St., Cleveland β, Ohio. $2.50. Detergents, What They Are and What They D o .
DONALD PRICE.
(Continued on page
159 pages.
5004)
Radioactive Atoms and Isotopic Tracers.
26th Annual Priestley Lectures. J. \V. KENNEDY. 89 pages. Phi Lambda Up-
silon, The Pennsylvania State College, State College, Pa. 1952. $2.00. Reviewed
by JACK SCHUBERT,
National Laboratory.
Argonne
O N E of the requirements of a Priestley Lecturer is that he "has the ability to present his material so that it is intelligible and stimulating to the college junior as well as interesting and informative to specialists in narrower segments of the same field." These requirements have been more than met by Dr. Kennedy in this highly interesting, authoritative, and personal account of special topics in radiochemistry. Dr. Kennedy describes the status of research in five chapters—each based on fields in which he has made noteworthy contributions. The topics discussed are nuclear transformations; uranium, fission, and transuranium elements; isotopic tracers and electron transfer reactions; quantitative kinetic studies with tracers; and self-diffusion of aqueous ions. Of particular interest is Dr. Kennedy's account of the chain reaction of events which took place on the Berkeley campus following a telegram sent to J. R. Oppenheimcr from G. Gamow on Jan. 26, 1939, announcing the discovery of nuclear fission by O. Hahn. Most Spectrometry, vi -f 205 pages. The Institute of Petroleum, 26. Portland Place, London W.l. England. 1952. 30/.
Reviewed by JOHN G. HUTTON,
General Electric Co.
WÊéè via the world's largest chromium chemical plant Here at MutuaPs Baltimore Plant chrome ore is processed into chromium chemicals of the highest purity for use in practically every phase of American industry. Chromâtes, Bichromates and Chromic Acid are used in leather tanning, in the production of yellow, orange and green pigments, and in chromium plating. Chromium chemicals inhibit corrosion in water and brine cooling systems and in pipelines. They are also used for wood preserving, textile finishing and for numerous and varied pur-, poses in the chemical industry. Mutual's integrated operations, from ore t o chromium chemicals, assure the many industries it serves of a dependable supply of these basic materials.
MUTUAL CHEMICAL COMPANY OF AMERICA
M A S S Spectrometry" is the report of a
conference of the mass spectrometry panel of the Institute of Petroleum and held in Manchester» England, in the spring of 1950. The report is divided into essentially
VOLUME
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