VOL.1, NO. 7
REC~NT BOOKS
169
Recent Books Eminent American Chemists, by D. H. KILLBS*g., Arsaciate Editor, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry. Pvblished by D. H. Kiiie5er. 19 B e t 24th Street, New York City, 1924. 33 Portraits. Price $6.00. It seems t o the reviewer that Mr. Kille5er h u started a present day need among Chemistry teacher.. The hi.tary of the American. who have helped t o make our chemical science is n recognized phase of Chemicei Education. The thirty-three portraits selected for inelurion in this book are portrayed in a moot modern manner 43/2 by 6 inches in size with sufficient margin for framing (on 8 X 10 inch sheets). Each portrait is on a separate sheet. The alternate sheet. contain brief sketches of the works of each man. The whole is bound in such a manner ns to give nn attractive form for the library, and a t the same time in a manner which permits the removal of any or all of the portraits. I vnderstand from the author that only the mmpiefe prtfolios are available, that a separate selection of prints cannot be made. The foilowing is a list of those whose portraits are included: Baekeland. L. H. Gomberg. Moses Baltwood. B. B. Hare. Robert Bancroft, W. D. Hiilebrand. W. P. Booth, J. C. Hunt, T. Sterry Chmdler, C. F. Langmuir, Irsing Lewis, G. N. Chittenden, R. H. Clarke, F. W. Mallett, J. W. Cottrell, F. G. Modey, E. W. Cooke. Josiah P. Noyes, A. A. Noyes, W. A. Franklin, E. C. Gibbr, J. Willard Prtertiey, Joseph Gibbs, Wolcott Remsen. Ira
Richards, T. W. Smith, J. Lawrenee Rumford, Count Sfieglitz, Julius Silliman, Benjamin, Sr. Van Elyke. Donald D. Smith. Edgar F. Whitney. W. R. Wiley. H. W. I t is interesting t o note the sources from which some of the portraits have been copied. That of Priestley i* a reproduction of the Stuart portrait which now hangsin the National Museum in Washington, the gift of the American Chemical Society to the Museum. Those of J. Lawrence Smith and T. Sterry Hunt have been enlarged from the group of American chemists who gathered a t the grave of Priestley a t Northumberland, Pennsylvania, on the centenary of the discovery of oxygen in 1876. The portraits of Booth. Hare, Rumford and Siiiiman are reproductions 01 contemporary AII the others are reproduced from photographs. Chemistry tcnehcrr ma). be a t Grrt diawpointcd t o hnd certain mcuomirrcd ahomtbcy fcrl should be nunhcrcd a i t h the =rent.. but the author acknowledges the seriousness of this selective problem, and believes that he has made only r start in the right direction. Nsn, E. Goaoolr. College Chemistry Companion, by J * n ~ s KHNDALL. The Century Co., New York, 1924. dii 233 pages. 13 X 20 ern.
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This is something new in the way of texts for the beginner in Chemistry. I n fact i t ia not e text nt ail, but rather a series of informal explanations of the more formal teat, such as would be obtained, ordinarily, only through personal condtationsort of teacher ever a t the student's command. I t s sole purpose is t o teach
the student how to study what he is a p t to consider a difficult subject. Although "For u3e in conjunction with t h e revised editions of Smith's 'College Chemistry' and 'A Laboratory Outline of College Chemistry,' i t covld quite a n well be used with almoat any of t h e standard texts." Professor Kendall has accomplished his purpose by picking out the high spots i n each chapter of t h e text mentioned, ena1yring and explaining them in a fashion impossible to the formsl text and nearly so to the average lecture. Bad misapplications of certain chemical truths are rarefully pointed out ro thaf the neophyte may not be lead astray by hi5 enlhuslasm. A science capable of being .expressed in mathematical terms can be oroperly taught only through t h e extensive use 01 problems. This book =hounds in such problems. There is a l a r a ~number of well selected typcs at the end of each chapter. and t h e student is repeatedly urged to try as many as possible. A careful reading of the chapter will have given him all the assistance necessary. I t must he emphasized. however. t h a t this is not fundamentallv z "~roblem" book. T o anyone reading Prof. Kendall's book for the first time, t h e rather radical departure from the dignified lanmage of the suerage t e x t is s t h r t l i n ~ . The author justifies fhir by raying, "The human touch is almost indispensable in llndergraduate chemistry. and thc teacher who scorns t o stoop cannot complain if he fails t o conqurr." With this we agree heartily. n o w ever, if seems, in few instances, as if the author had allowed his sense of humor to carry him beyond the necesrity 01 making the subject human. Introdvetory Chapter I1 is most excellent. If is entitled "Hints on Lecture and Laboratory Work." we are convinced t h a t far more students become discouraged from simply not knowine krrm t o stud" than for an" other
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Professor Kendall is very wise in teaching students early in their chemical life t h a t multiolicitv of decimals doer not neecssarilv indicate arcurrev of work. His discussion of errors is very good. At the end of all the later chapters have been olaced well relectedliterature reference%to oresent day work along the lines dicursed in those chapters. OLhrr features included in this hook t h a t help to make i t human and chemistry an inferestinp subject are extensive quotations from eontemporlry speeches and writings, i11urtrationr (both historical and contemporary), and lists 01 eminent chemists of our time with some of their achieuementa. In conclusion, this is a very good book for students, and is packed full of ideas for teachers.
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MALCOLM
M. H A R I N D .
, D, Applied Chemistry, by In* D. G ~ n ~ nPoH Professor of C h e m i ~ t r yi n t h e New Jersey
College for Women, State University of New Jersey. The Maemillan Company, N e a York, 1924.
T o quote from t h e preface, "The purpose of this book ir mainly to provide a textbook for college students who have taken a course in general chemistry and who are further interested in t h e applicationr 01 chemistry and the manner in which i t functions in modern life:' The parpore of t h e work is admirable; i t attempts t o fill a wide gap in our available works on ehemirtry, but the reviewer doubfsifit could be understood and appreciated hy those for whom it is intended. The tendency throwhout t h e hook is to use terms and refer LO romplex compoundr, which would he new to the sophomore reader, hefore yivieg an explanation. The subject matter covers so wide a field, and introduces so m a w comolex coneeotions t h a t t h e reviewer fears t h a t t h e second-year reader would require man). extra explanation.. As B book of suggestions t o teachers, Dr. Garares hook should prove invaluable. The information given appears t o be quite correct. and could readily be modified, or simplified t o hc siven to the students in lecture form. JOHN
H. GARDNBR.
What Industry Owes to Chemical Science, hy RICHAPDB. PITCARR,O.B.E., and PRANK R o r ~ s n - J o n e s , B.A. (Cantah). A.I.C. With an introduction by Sir George Reilby. LL.D., P.R.S. Second edition, rcvisrd and enlarged, 4. Van Nortrand Company, New York, 1924. x v 158 pages. Price $2.00.
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Thi. book is a partly successful attempt to describe, in a manner understandable t o t h e general reader, t h e indebtedness of ail industties to pure scientific research, and partie"l=rly to chemistry. I t contains t h e greatest mas. of information compreored into a small space t h a t the reviewer ha. ever seen, but. unfortunately, much of if ir misleadin%, although there are few positive mistakes. I" many placer, ohrolete, or ohsaleneent, processes are emphasized more than their more modern successors. The reader would he lelt with the impr~sriont h a t the Weldon and Dearon procerren for chlorine are more prncru11y lmed than t h e electrolytic. The book i. better suited to British than to American readers as i t stresses t h e development of t h e British industries and t h e work of British scientists, although i t is not noticeably unfair t o those of other nations. An a b m k for supplementary reading for ehemisfry students, this work might well find a place. particularly if t h e instructor were to accompany his recommendation with an exolanafion o l its nature. JOHN
H. GARDNBR.
