assistance. His personal participation in the work was ended when his eyes failed and he could no longer see the lab& on the hottles. But, he is saying, even when the retired chemist is no longer able to work in the laboratory, there remain other jobs he can do. The author tells of one of his friends who falls down when he a t tempts to go on the street hut is still e d i t ing for Chemical Abstmcts and of another who suffered a stroke in 1949, since which time he has published eighty reviews on the chemotherapy of cancer as well asmany other papers and who covers thirty-two journals for Chemical Abstracts. This reviewer read the entire volume with s. great deal of interest. H e liked particularly the chapter on Research by Undergraduates. This will provide a method of attack and a wealth of ideas to the undergraduate about t o start an Honors Program, a Senior Thesis, Independent Study, or whatever it might be called. But more than this, it provides convincing reasons for the inclusion of student research in the undergraduate chemistry curriculum. HARRYF. LEWIS, The Institute qf Paper Chemistry Appleton, Wisconsin
The Story of Alchemy a n d Early Chemistry John Mazson Stillman, Stanford University, Stanford, California. Dover Publications, Inc., New York, 1960. xiii + 566 pp. 13.5 X 20.5 em. Paperbound. $2.45. When this book originally appeared under the title "The Story of Early Chemistry," it was given a short review by Edgar 2, 95 (1925). Fshs Smith, THIS JOURNAL, I t never received the attention which i t deserved and, therefore, i t is good to have the book back in print in the form of a paperback edition. Stillman's book, despite a. tediously dull f i t chapter, gives a well-balanced account of the formative period of chemistry, ancient times to Dalton. Most hooks deal with the period as if alchemy was the sole activity out of which chemistry developed. Stillman recognized the p a r d e l stimuli of medicine and technology and gave them proper attention. H e was familiar with the scholarly work in history of chemistry up to 1920 and gave a more reliable account than certain litter historians. Of course, subsequent studies place new light on some of the subjects d~ scribed in the hook. This is particularly true with respect to Arabian alchemy where research published after Stillman's death in 1923 placed a somewhat different interpretation on the works of Jabir than t h s t given in the book. If the reader will keep such instances in mind, this is still s useful history of early chemistry.
Combustion, Flamer, a n d Explorionr of Gases Bernard Lewis and Gkenlher v a Elbe, both of Combustion and Explosives Research, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 2nd ed. Academic Press Inc., New York, 1961. xix 731 pp. 16 X 23.5 em. $22.
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The first edition of this hook in 1951 was the culmination of the authors' long series of research contributions extending into most of the important topics of combustion. The second edition, representing their reappraisal after a 1ap.x of 10 years, is of interest to all specialists in the field. The subject matter is organized as in the first edition according to the major cateplories: Chemistry and kinetics of oxidation reactions (Part I ) ; propagation of combustion waves and detonation waves (Part 11); state of the burned gas (Psrt 111); and problems in technical ccombwtion processes (Part IV). Parts I , 111, itnd IV are essentially unchanged, although there has been some reorganization and some rewriting of introductory passages. Part 11, comprising about half the book, has been largely revised, primarily to accommodate the new concept of flame stretch (that is, the growth of flame surface in divergent propagation). This concept is applied to various problems of flame stability, to the experimental finding of flammability limits, and to ignition by electrastatir sparks. New emphasis also is placed on the stratification of mixture composition arising from different diffusivities of fuel and oxidant. The excess enthalpy concept is de-emphasized. The book remains the most eomprehensive treatment of the basic aspects of combustion. Some useful new informa-
it has not kept pace with &search publications of the past decade. The rewritten sections should improve the effectiveness for the student or for the beginning worker on combustion problems. However this is basically a book for the specialist and is likely to he the first volume on his reference shelf. ks in the first edition, the format is excellent. DAVID BURGESS Buwau of Mines Pitlsburgh, Pennsylvania
Nouveau Tmita d e Chimie Minhrale. Volume 13 (in 2 park.) Paul Pascol, Memhre de L'Institute, Professeur honoraire la Sorbonne. Masson e t Cie. Editeur. Libmires de L'Aesdemie d e ' ~ e d e c i n &Paris, 1960. 2146 pp. Figs. and tables. xxwix 17.5 X 26 cm. Broches 310 NF, Cartonnhs toile 330 NF.
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Volume 13 of Pascal's new treatise has AARONJ. IHDE been divided into two parts and is concerned with oxygen, sulfur, selenium, University qf Wisconsin Madison tellurium, and polonium. The first part
is devoted to oxygen and sulfur, while the second part concludes the material on sulfur and then presents the material on the other three elements. The division into two parts is done for the convenience of binding the 2148 pages into two covers of approximately the same size rather than for -separate presentation of data. A single index appears a t the end of the second part. No significant departure has been made from the general plan of the entire work, itnd the excellent arrangement of bibliographies is retained far convenient reference. The criticism can be made, as i t can for most of the volumes published to date, t h s t many of the bibliographical searches were conducted long hefore the publication date. While one of the best points of the set is the use of modern concepts, i t is felt that the time gap between bibliographical searching and date of publication is often greater than it should be. A long but excellent introduction to the volume is written by Pascal himelf. Oxygen is con side red^ in the next 612 pages, and after presentation of data on the element and its compounds, a discussion of combustion is given. Some 978 pages are devoted t o sulfur and its compounds, 262 on selenium, 128 on tellurium, and 81 on polonium. The index is not as extensive as it might be hut the arrangement of the contents aids to some extent in the location of material. Standards have been maintained a t a generally high level, and t h e volume has the advantage over both Mellor's treatise and Gmelin of the inclusion of more recent data and concepts. The volume's chief value will be that of a reference work, and i t will he s. valuable addition to the works about the elements in this sub-group. ROGER V. KRUMM University of Flwida Gainesville
Probability a n d Experimental Errors in Seianre: An Elementary Survey Lyman G. Pawatt, Cornell University, Ithaea, New York. John Wiley 8: Sons, 255 pp. Inc., New York, 1961. ix Figs. and tables. 15.5 X 23.5 cm. $7.25.
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A famous physicist just hefore the turn of the century is reported t o have stated that the future of physics lay in the fifth (or was it the sixth?) decimal place. Unfortunately, Professor Pamatt's book conveys a. parallel sentiment regarding the future of statistics in physics. The hook is almost evenly divided into five chapters dealing with probability, statistical estimates, measurements in functional relstionships, the normal distribution, and the Poisson distribution. About one hundred and fifty problems are included. Although the author attempts t o expand his thinking to "experimental science" generally, i t is plain that he is really writing about physics. And his writing clearlv reflects the eulf that exists hetween applied statistics i n d experimental phyw (Continued on page AS14)
