BEYOND THE FLYLEAF The Chemistry of Powder and Explosives. Volume 1. Tenney L. Davis. 1st ed. 190 pages. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 440 Fourth Ave., New York, 1941. Price, $2.75. A s STATED i n the preface, this book was written in response to a demand for a textbook for t h e course in powder and ex plosives given by t h e author to fourthyear and graduate students in chemistry a t Μ. Ι. Τ . Originally intended to contain nine chapters, i t has been published with only four—Properties of Explosives, Black Powder, Pyrotechnics, and Aromatic Nitro Compounds. The important sub jects of Nitric Esters, Smokeless Powder, Dynamite, Ammonium Nitrate, and Pri mary Explosives will be treated in Volume II, t o be published a s soon a s possible. The properties, classification, and tests of explosives are briefly described in 27 pages and, while there is nothing which is not common knowledge to those in t h e industry, the volume does supply i n formation of value to a young chemist beginning work in a n explosives labora tory. T h e bibliography will be of value in obtaining t h e details of routine tests. The chapter on Black Powder is largely a historical treatment, with the result that information o n the properties, uses, and manufacture is crowded into a few pages. More than one third of the book is devoted t o pyrotechnics, and the his torical treatment is interesting. T h e composition o f mixtures used in rockets, flares, fusees, colored lights, etc., for civic, marine, militaxy, and commercial use will b e of value. Methods of manufacture are given in some detail and the numerous cuts and drawings will be helpful to those who contemplate manufacture of these products. The number of aromatic nitro com pounds described i s quite complete, and the treatment of t h e commercial explo sives, T N T , picric acid, the picrates, and tetryl, is very good considering the space devoted t o them. I t is pleasing t o note that attention is called to the toxicity of nitro compounds and the formation of dangerous explosives materials with alkali and nitrated hydrocarbons, particularly TNT. While such facts are common knowledge to those in the industry, the author performs a real service in calling attention to them s o that the young chem ist will seek t h e advice of men experienced
in this field before undertaking the manu facture of these products. The fundamental chemistry, particu larly t h e rule of Crum Brown and Gibson, is adequately treated and of value t o the young chemist. Tables of data on explosives strength, solubility, sensitivity, etc., are numerous. In spite of overemphasis on the his torical treatment of certain products and inadequate treatment of methods of manufacture, testing, and use of military explosives, this work will be a valuable reference book for those taking the short courses in explosives now being given at several universities. J. T.
POWER
Advances i n Enzymology and Related Subjects. Vol. I. F. F. Nord and C. H. Werkman, editors. 1st ed. x + 433 pages. Interscience Publishers, Inc., 215 Fourth Ave., New York, Ν . Υ., 1941. Price, $5.50.
Titles of the various articles are a good index t o what m a y be expected in the text. However, the content of the chapter by D . E. Green on "Enzymes and Trace Substances" is more clearly revealed by the thesis developed in the article: "Any substance occurring in traces in the cell which is necessary in the diet or medium must be an essential part of an enzyme or is an enzyme itself." Biochemists and nutritionists interested in the newer conception of the vitamins as inherent parts of enzyme systems will find this work informative and stimulating. The book is up to date, and the large number of references carefully selected by each author provides a critical review of recent pertinent literature. Approximately one fourth of the volume is published in German. All the mechanical features of the book are satisfactory, and the general make-up is good. W.
T H I S collection of independent mono graphs, presenting material o n a wide range o f subjects of a general biochemical nature, is similar in plan to the well-known German yearbook, Ergebnisse der Enzymforschung. The monographs are "Protein Struc ture" b y Henry B . Bull, 42 pages; "Physikalische-chemische Gesichtspunkte zum Problem der Virusaktivitat" b y Luise Holzapfel, 2 0 pages; "The Specificity of Proteinases" by Max Bergmann and J. S. Fruton, 36 pages; "Metabolic Generation and Utilization of Phosphate Bond E n ergy" b y Fritz Lipmann, 64 pages; "The Chemical Nature of Catalase" by James B. Sumner, 14 pages; "Enzymes and Trace Substances" b y D . E . Green, 22 pages; "Photosynthesis, Facts and Inter pretations" b y J. Franck and H . Gaffron 64 pages; "The Bacterial Photosynthèses and Their Importance for the General Problem of Photosynthesis" b y C. B . VanNiel, 6 6 pages; "Untersuchung enzymatischer Prozesse in der lebenden Pflanze" b y A. L. Kurssanov, 42 pages; "Die Verdauung bei den niederen Vertebraten" by H . J. Vonk, 47 pages. The "related subjects" are not always of immediate concern to the investigator in enzyme chemistry, b u t the topics are all well bandied by recognized experts and are of definite interest and use to anyone studying t h e broad field of enzymology. The v o l u m e will be welcomed by m a n y chemists and biologists.
798
C. N . F R B Y R. JOHNSTON
Organische Kolloidchemie. Hermann Staudinger. 178 pages + subject and author index. Vieweg and Sohn, Braunschweig, Germany, 1940. Price, 9.80 marks unbound; 11.60 marks bound. T H E scope of this book is revealed by the titles and length of the main headings: Classification of Dispersed Systems (7 pages), Inorganic and Organic Colloids (3 pages), Structure of Organic Compounds (15 pages), Inner Structure of Organic Colloids (15 pages), Particle Shape of Organic Colloids (46 pages), N e w Classification of Colloids (6 pages), Determination of Inner Structure of Colloid Particles (27 pages), Determination of the Sizes of Colloid Particles (28 pages), Determination of t h e Form of Macromolecules (20 pages), and Molecular Colloids and Organic Chemistry (6 pages). T h e title of the book is considerably broader than the t e x t justifies. As admitted in the preface, the discussion is largely limited t o those macromolecular organic colloids the constitution of which has been worked out largely b y methods of organic chemistry—the synthetic association high polymers, polysaccharides, and rubber. T h e proteins, condensation polymers, and "micellar" colloids, such as soaps and related materials, receive little attention. However, the book preCONTINUED ON PAGE 8 0 4
NEWS
804
NIACET PRODUCTS SODIUM ACETATES Niacet Sodium Acetate salts are prepared from pure synthetic Glacial Acetic Acid and the highest quality soda ash. In addition to the regular 6 0 % Technical grade, a special 9 0 % Sodium Acetate —"SODAC E T " — i s available. This product contains 5 0 % more actual Sodium Acetate than the 6 0 % material. Niacet Anhydrous Sodium Acetate is a white, free-flowing fine rder especially suited for chemical nthesis. Sodium Diacetate and Anhydrous Sodium Diacetate are solid forms of readily available acetic acid. They liberate about 3 4 % and 3 8 % acetic acid respectively o n solution in water, and are especially useful for packaged products requiring a n acid condition after solution.
VINYL ACETATE Chemists are familiar with vinyl resins from vinyl acetate, but few know that vinyl acetate is an important raw material in the manufacture of the sulfanilamide t y p e pharmaceuticals. B y proper treatment dichloroethylacetate or chloracetal can readily be obtained and these halogenated derivatives are readily condensed with other materials t o give heterocyclic ring compounds. The vinyl group is also very active in all halogen and halogen acid reactions, and addition reactions with other unsaturated or polymerizable materials as ethylene, amylene, coumarone, and turpentine.
ACETONITRILE B o i l i n g r a n g e 79° t o 8 2 ° C . Moisture—1% maximum Acidity—0.2% m a x i m u m Just recently available in quantity, acetonitrile is already an important raw material in the manufacture of plant hormones and the vitamins. Chloracetonitrile reacts with aromatic compounds to give aryl derivatives of acetic acid, of proven value in the hormone field. Acetamidine, readily prepared from acetonitrile, can be condensed with a properly substituted ester t o give t h e pyrimidine half o f vitamin B i . Other commercial synthetic possibilities are practically unexplored.
OTHER PRODUCTS Inquiries for new chemicals which can be prepared from any of our products are welcomed. Your request for information, samples, or cruotations on a n y products we make or might make will receive our prompt attention.
EDITION
Vol. 19, No. 14
Beyond the Flyleaf
must xezruiin seriously incomplete. There is no longer a n y question but t h a t business occupies a fundamental place in t h e a c tivities of modern society. Consequently, the public must be educated in t h e i n terests of ail concerned about business. The problem becomes what material should be selected for preservation, how records should be preserved, a n d when t h e program for preserving business records should be undertaken. These major points are discussed in some detail. A n appendix follows giving the actual practice o f firms in selected industries w i t h regard t o the preservation of their business records. T h e types considered are an advertising agency, commercial bank, department store, grocery, retail a n d wholesale, life insurance company, manufacturing—fabricated paper products, woolen textiles, textile machinery—public utilities—electric power and telephone— railroad, and stock exchange.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 798
sents a very good summary of contributions of the Staudinger school to t h e general topic. The personal outlook of the book is indicated b y the fact that, of approximately 70 tables and figures presenting experimental results, 8 5 per cent deal with results of the Staudinger school and a large majority are concerned with viscosity data. The only topics receiving mathematical discussion are osmotic pressure, treating with Schulz's metbod for extrapolating to zero concentration, and viscosity, from the standpoint of Staudinger's empirical viscosity rules. Otherwise, physical and physicochemical methods of studying macromolecules are either ignored or presented only qualitatively and briefly. I n spite of these shortcomings as an objective and balancecL&reatise, all investigators in the field of high-viscosity high polymers can well afford t o possess this book because of its usefulness a s a guide and summary t o t h e voluminous literature from the Freiburg laboratories on high polymers. E L M E R O. KRAJBMER
The Preservation of Business Records. Ralph M. Hower. 4th ed. 5 6 pages, 6 X 9 inches. Business Historical Society, Baker Library, J n c , Soldiers Field, Boston, Mass., 1941. Available without cost upon request. T H E booklet begins with a strong presentation in answer t o the question of why business records should be preserved and properly points out that, first of all, business should know its own history, not only for the many uses to which it may be put for the benefit of the company, but also for the improvement of public relations. A s Mr. Hower points out, "Much of the recent hostility toward private enterprise has arisen because the public has been told the mistakes and misdeeds of business and there has been no one t o supply corrective data on the other side. The publicity material prepared b y business fails t o help because it is obviously biased and frequently inaccurate." The history of a concern, properly recorded b y those who have helped make it, affords material which can be presented to independent scholars and historians who can present t h e unvarnished truth and better enable the public to reach a sound conclusion. If this is not possible, more than likely the public will accept stories against business and, in time, might become so hostile as t o hamper greatly, if not do away with, private enterprise. Without correct knowledge of business history, the record of man's achievements
NIAGET CHEMICALS CORPORATION Sales Office and Plant Pine Ave., Niagara Falls, N. Y.
For
some
time
the
NEWS
EDITION
has invited various firms in t h e chemical industry t o prepare their histories t h a t they might be presented i n brief form in these pages. Enthusiasm over t h e idea has n o t been expressed in copy as we had hoped. W e believe, with Mr. Hower, in the importance, n o t only of t h e preservation of business records, but also of the publication of authentic condensed histories. W e urge those w h o read this to request a copy of this publication and to take some action t o preserve, if not to publish, an authentic record of their own histories. The Merck Manual of Therapeutics and Materia Medica. 7 t h ed. 1436 pages. Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N . J., 1940. Price, $2.00. THIS edition presents a great deal of accurate practical medical information in condensed form. Pocket-size proportions have been maintained, and t h e contents have been revised in accordance with the scientific progress of medicine. T h e increasing importance of the clinical laboratory has been recognized. The manual is divided into six parts; the first a n d largest, with 1293 pages, presents 256 pathological conditions. For each disease, there is a brief statement of etiology, a summary of diagnostic information, and details of therapy, including numerous prescriptions. M a n y basic principles of pharmacology are outlined, and reasons for t h e use of m a n y chemicals given. T h e second section consists of a n alphabetical summary of the symptoms and treatment of poisoning from about 200 toxic substances. I n the remainder of the manual are a dose table for commonly used drugs, a brief materia medica which has been carefully selected and should b e of especial interest to t h e medical practitioner, a section of useful miscellaneous information in-
NEWS
July 25, 1941 cluding a vitamin table, and a cross-refer ence index. This is a very useful therapeutic refer ence book for the interne and practicing physician. It has been carefully prepared to serve as a reminder for therapeutic de tail in helping the physician select the type of treatment which his judgment indi cates is suitable for a particular case. Un like the Merck Index, the manual is not intended primarily for the chemist, and it is not a substitute for a knowledge of medicine. It should be of interest, how ever, to all individuals working in fields allied to medicine as a source of concise clinical information and of details regard ing pharmacologic action and established dosages. W. H.
ED I T I O N
features you will like in
the RAYMOND 12 " MILL Small enough for labo ratory use in running tests Large enough for com mercial use in c ο nt in u ο u i grinding
SEBRELL
Fire-Hazard Properties of Certain Flam mable Liquids, Gases» and Volatile Solids. Committee on Flammable Liq uids of the National Fire Protection Association. Revised ed. 48 pages. National Fire Protection Associa tion, 60 Batterymarch St., Boston, Mass., 1941. Price, 25 cents.
J#
Capacity range, 50 to 200 lbs· per hour, depending on kind of material and fineness of grind» 2„ Fineness regulated by changing to different size screens, furnished with the machine. 3 Φ Easily taken apart by removing hand screws · · • for cleaning or changing screens· 4 ^ Mill rotor with swing h a m m e r s driven by constant speed motor through a V-belt· 5 # Screw feeder driven by motorized variable speed unit, permitting quick adjustment of feed rate and capacity· ^ Precision made, ball bearing * equipped and accurately balanced for smooth, vibrationless operation·
1. HIS is a table that presents a summary of available data on the fire-hazard prop erties of a considerable number of sub stances, with indication of the source of information. The data include flash point, ignition temperature, explosive limits, specific gravity, vapor density, boiling point, and extinguishing agents. List of Inspected Electrical Equipment· 525 pages, paper bound. Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc., 207 East Ohio St., Chicago, Ill., May 1941. T H I S up-to-date list of inspected electrical equipment replaces all similar lists, sup plements, and bulletins of earlier date. More than 430 pages cover equipment for use in ordinary locations and 65 pages equipment for use in hazardous locations. As before there will be a semiannual sup plement issued in November, with new and revised listings meantime published in monthly electrical bulletins. Index to the Literature on Spectrochemical Analysis. 2nd ed. 96 pages, 6 X 9 inches. American Society for Testing Materials, 260 South Broad St., Phila delphia, Penna., 1941. Price, $1.00.
Refrigeration Codes STANDARDS
FOB
805
REFRIGERATION",
a
new eight-page circular issued by The American Society of Refrigerating Engi neers, presents in a condensed, convenient form descriptions of the numerous re frigeration and air-conditioning standards which members of the society have com piled, written, sponsored, and revised dur ing the past several years.
RAYMOND
PULVERIZER
DIVISION
COMBUSTION ENGINEERING COMPANY, INC. 1316 N o r t h B r a n c h Street, C H I C A G O Sales Offices in Principal Cities Canada: Combustion Engineering Corp., Ltd., Montreal
An introductory section points out that the society has not attempted to legislate how any job should be done, but simply to bring manufacturers together in agreeing on. proper methods of rating and testing. Readers are reminded that standards af fecting various industries or the public interest are handled through American Standards Association "sectional commit tees", that projects of general refrigeration interest have been developed by joint com mittees of various organizations in the in dustry, and that projects of concern to refrigerating engineers have been worked out in committees of engineers only, with the A. S. R. E. cooperating or leading in the work necessary to complete standards of these three types.
Different A. S. R. E. codes are described individually in short sections which give in each case the personnel of the committee writing the code, a history of its develop ment, adoption and, in some cases, recent revision. Line cuts explain the salient features of some of the standards. A. S. R. E. standards covered include those on air-conditioning equipment, port able air-conditioning units, compressors, condensers, comfort conditions, condensing units, heat exchangers, locker plants, milk coolers, refrigeration piping, moisture re moval, the plant test code, and the one most widely known, the refrigeration safety code. Copies of "Standards for Refrigeration" will be distributed to all members of the
806 A. S. R. E. about July 30, and will be avail able without charge upon request to the A. S. R. E., 37 West 39th St., New York, Ν. Υ.
Tests for Evaluating WaterResisting Properties of Fabrics T H E Committee on Water Resistance of Fabrics of the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists, with Harold W. Stiegler of the American Cyanamid Co. as chairman, has recentlydrawn up tentative procedures for hydro static pressure, spray, and immersion tests. These three tests, which have been adopted as tentative by the A. A. T. C. C., are the outcome of considerable investiga tion and actual use. The tremendous increase in the com mercial importance of water-repellent fabrics has indicated the need for simple, reliable methods for evaluating their water-resisting properties. Such fabrics possess three distinct properties which require three separate tests for their evaluation. The proper use of the tests should yield sufficient information for a reasonably accurate evaluation of the water-resisting properties of most fabrics. The well-known box test (hydrostatic pressure) has been dropped from the A. A. T. C. C. list of standard test methods, and the original hydrostatic pressure test replaced by the new method.
NEWS
Vol. 19, No· 14
E D I T I ON
Detailed descriptions of the tests and apparatus will appear in the 1941 Year book of the A. A. T. C. C., which will be pub lished in the near future. Brief descrip tions will be found in the Proceedings of the A. A. T. C. C. as recorded in the January 6, 1941, issue of the American Dyestuff Reporter. Additional information may be obtained by corresponding with the gen eral secretary of the association, H. C. Chapin, Lowell Textile Institute, Lowell, Mass. e&Q
T H E Biochemical Research Foundation has put out a 91-page booklet giving a brief introduction by ElUcc McDonald, director, 43 photographs from the new building at Newark, Del., and a list of publications. ©^©
A . C. S. Committee Appointed AT THE St. Louis meeting of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY in April 1941,
the Council voted that the President of the SOCIETY appoint a committee to study the problem of the teaching of chemistry in high schools. President Wm. Lloyd Evans has ap pointed the committee as follows: B . S. Hopkins, Chairman, University of Illinois, Urbana, Ill., and Hubert N. Alyea, Harry A. Carpenter, Martin V. McGill, an4 Al fred W. Scott. CHARLES L. PARSON'S, Secretary
NECROLOGY NECROLOGY Sir Robert Robinson SIR
ROBERT
ROBINSON, professor of
biochemistry at the University of London, died June 20 at the age of 54. Sir Robert was educated at the Fulneck School and at the University of Manches ter, England. From 1912 to 1915 he was professor of organic chemistry at the Uni versity of Sidney, and in 1915 he became Heath Harrison Professor of Organic Chem istry at Liverpool University. In 1920 he was director of research of the British Dyestuffs Corp., and then became profes sor of chemistry at St. Andrew's Univer sity. From 1922 to 1928 he was professor of organic chemistry at Manchester Uni versity, and also served as professor of chemistry at Oxford. He had been a member of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL· SOCIETY since 1925, had been
president of the Chemical Society, and was a foreign member of the Naples Acad emy of Science, the National Academy of Sciences (Washington), and the Royal Swedish Academy. He was honorary fel low of the Royal Society of New Zealand and the Indian Academy of Science. He had written many scientific papers.
Horace A . Woodward HORACE
A. WOODWARD, chief chemist
of Canada Dry Ginger Ale, Inc., died July 5 in Orleans, Mass., while on vaca tion. He was 65 years old. Mr. Woodward was born in Plainfield, N. J., April 22, 1876. About 40 years ago he went to New York to join the staff of G. B. Seely & Sons, which was merged in 1927 with Canada Dry, and soon after the merger he became chief chemist of the firm. He had been a member of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY since 1932. e^t®
W E ANNOUNCE with regret the death of the following:
Mobile Mass Spectrograph The routine quantitative analysis of petroleum gases, accurate to 1 part in 100,000, may soon be possible with this new mobile mass spectrograph which was developed by the Research Laboratories of the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co., East Pittsburgh, Penna. If mobility were necessary, the unit could be mounted on a truck and wheeled from place to place in the refinery. The constituents of petroleum gases, known in advance, are sorted by the spectrograph according to the weight or mass. Shown in the photograph are R. D. Wyckoff, Gulf Oil Co.; J. A. Hippie of Westinghouse, builder of the spectrograph; E. Solomon, M. W. Kellogg Co.; T. S. Cham bers, Standard Oil Development Co.; and L. C. Roess and J. Mitchell of the Texas Co.
Francis W. Howes, instructor and con sultant, Lindblom High School, Chicago, Ill. Member since 1934. Joseph R. Lorenz, Hart Leather Finish Corp., Chicago, Ill. Member since 1916. H. Oetker, Chem. Fabrik Budenheim A. G., Wiesbaden, Germany. Member since 1939. H. Shankster, C-36 Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, S. E. 18, England. Member since 1931. F. W. Skirrow, Shawinigan, Ltd., Purley, Surrey, England. Member since 1915. S. Bradford Stone, assistant professor, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, Ν. Υ. Mem ber since 1922. Stephen Swartz, consultant, Chicago, Ill. Member since 1940.
